Professor
by Lady Stranger
Summary: Professor Regina Mills crosses paths with a beautiful blonde hooker. Contains smut. (New chapters are up. SQ) Trigger warning: expect anything from this fic. [Weird summery, and story is probably not what you think, but it's still an okay story, so give it a read!] (18/20) -INCOMPLETEE CHECK BIO-
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**1**

Regina Mills was the head of the Psychology department at the university of Boston Gate. She taught 2nd-year and 4th-year students on a regular basis, but she was also a professional mathematician in her own spare time. At the young age of 30, she had already obtained her doctorate, and had 31% of stock at Gold Enterprise; one of the most powerful businesses in Boston. She made something out of herself. She became a powerful figure; a business woman in a man's world, and a teacher who's sought-out by all students at Boston Gate.

On top of her smart, Regina was drop-dead gorgeous. Her beautiful, brown, long hair reached her lower back. Her eyes inked brown with a swirl of confidence. People on campus referred to her as "Queen" or "Goddess." One nickname was given to her by the female admirers, was "Red Lips" because they rarely saw her without red on her kissable lips. Her body was of a goddess, and she was respected and followed around like a queen. She was proud and arrogant, and she should be. Regina Mills was no joke.

Every year Boston Gate would participate in a local, friendly competition with the rest of the Universities in Boston. They call it "The Two Annual Champions of Boston." At the end of the competition, 2 winners will be crowned champions. One student, and one professor. Students from all over the city would compete with each other in all different areas of expertise; including sports. And the professors would meet at the Back Bay hotel, to start their own elimination process, competing against one another. Since Regina has won last year's Professor trophy, her place in the competition was secured. She'd be out through the first 3 rounds of elimination, leaving her with 50 other professors to beat in the 4th round. Last year's Student trophy went to Fa Mulan; a beautiful Chinese woman. Had Regina and Mulan went head to head with each other, which Regina wanted to do so badly, no one would've anticipated the winner. Mulan was crazy smart, and so was Regina.

* * *

"God! Why can't those annoying bastards keep their hands to themselves?" Regina muttered to herself, as she made her way back to her room. It had been the 3rd day of the competition, and she had to be a judge in the Mathematics student contest. After they announced the winner, Regina attended the celebratory party, along with her fellow professors, to congratulate the winner. Sometimes it kills her that most of her colleagues are men.

"Those damn horny bastards!" Regina angrily whispered, as she shuffled through her bag in search of her card-key.

"Just perfect..." She did not find it. She took out her cellphone to see the time, and it was a few minutes past midnight. There was no way she was going to drive back home. No.

She found her way back to the reception, and asked for help. The manager was useless as he asked her to wait a while, and ushered her to the bar, where it was crowded with more drunkards.

"Great, more of undead drunk.." She looked around, and found a seat to the far left, and occupied it. She wasn't going to order a drink, all she had to do was take off her coat to reveal her sleeveless, skin-tight, black, leather dress, that hugged her perfectly. And she did. The v-neck only added to her beauty. Her heels were deep red, just the cherry on the top. Both men, and women could not take their eyes off of her. Of course people would offer her alcohol. Every one of them wanted to get her drunk, and get into her pants. Regina gladly accepted her 1st, and 2nd drinks, before declining the 3rd, and all the way to the 17th.

After half an hour, the manager found easily Regina among the crowd, and gave her a new card-key. She was about to leave when she saw her. A beautiful, young woman in a red dress. Regina couldn't see her face clearly with all the people bumping at her, and past her, but she felt an instant pull, that neither her body or her brain could ignore. The woman was blonde, and she was handing a business card to a middle aged man. Maybe her father? The man eagerly took the card, and put it in his pocket. Instead, the card accidentally fell to the floor, and on impulse, Regina strode the few meters the separated her from the woman, and reached for it. She turned around, away from the blonde and her companion, and read the card:

**Night Girls**

**Looking for comfort, we can give it to you.**

**Call xxx-xxxx-xxxx**

_A hooker!?_

Professor's eyes widened with shock. How can a prestigious hotel of 5 stars shelter such people, she wondered.

"I need to take out the garbage." Regina muttered. She turned around, and was met with beautiful, shimmering blue eyes gazing into her brown ones. Or were they green? No, definitely blue. She bit her lips as she took in the blonde's appearance. The blonde was stunning to say the least. She seemed to be not older than 23.

_A child. Just a child, and she's already selling her body to __pathetic__, horny middle-aged men, who can't keep it in their pants._

Unconsciously, Regina grabbed the blonde by her forearm, and dragged her away from the man, and outside the bar into the reception area. The blonde was startled, but she did not try to run away, nor break eye contact with the brunette. Regina let go of the blonde's arm, and raised an eyebrow.

_Was this jealousy? Protectiveness? What the __hell__ was this!?_

Regina backed the blonde into a corner,"how much?" Regina hurriedly asked, "for the whole night."

The blonde raised both her eyebrows, and smirked, her blues locking with browns in an intense gaze again. "I'm sorry?"

"This." Regina handed her the card, as she moved even closer to the blonde, invading her personal space.

"Oooh.. This little thing" the blonde grinned, and bit her lower lip, "you can't afford me, beautiful" she winked.

Regina stared at the younger woman's eyes with lust-induced haze. She debated whether to just leave now, or think of a way to convince the blonde. Her eyes darted to the blonde's slightly parted lips, before crashing her own red lips against the blonde's. Almost instantly, the younger woman started kissing back. Regina's right hand shot up, and pulled the other woman's neck closer, deepening the kiss. In return, the blonde placed both her hands on the brunette's hips, bringing her flush against her body. They grind against each other twice, Regina let out a low moan at the contact, and immediately pulled back.

The blonde swallowed hard, and licked her lower lip before sucking on it. She looked at the brunette from underneath her eyelashes, "maybe you can." Her voice was hoarse.

Regina wasn't the least bit drunk. No, Regina was too uptight, that she had trained her mind to control her drunk self. Actually. Trained. Herself. As in repeatedly got drunk, and practiced sobering up. And now no matter how much she drank, she'd always find an image in her mind, and concentrate on it to keep herself grounded. The image she often used, was that image of a beautiful apple tree she'd gotten accustomed to calling her own. It was located at the Agricultural department's garden; where no one frequents no more. The department had been closed for many years now. Some kids had tried, and succeeded at growing weed. Of course, some started selling, while others rushed to buy, and it soon mounted up into one of the biggest scandals at Boston Gate.

She wasn't drunk with alcohol. No, she was drunk with something entirely different. She was drunk with complete, animalistic, raw lust. And it only took one glance at the beautiful blonde, before she felt her lust levels elevate to unbearable amounts. Before her common sense had time to kick in, she had grabbed the blonde, and practically dry-humped her in a crowded, well-lit, public place. Lucky for Regina, the crowd was drunk as fuck.

Regina wickedly smirked, "come with me."

The blonde continued sucking on her lower lip for a beat or two, before releasing it with a delicious pop, "I can do that" seductively, the blonde answered. They were both in some sort of trance though. They were glued to their spots, with the blonde backed up against the wall, and Regina a breath away. Eyes were omitting exotic, sexual tension, that both of them never experienced before. Regina grew impatient first, and took a step back, keeping her eyes locked with the blonde's. The younger woman's right arm shot up, reaching for the brunette, but Regina took another step back to evade it. The blonde was confused for a moment, before she saw a hint of a smile form on the side brunette's mouth. Regina slowly shook her head a "no" while her right hand pulled stray, brown locks away from her face, and brushed it to the back of her head. She let out the most seductive hum the blonde had ever heard, and took a few more steps back.

Everything was happening in slow motion for the blonde. Her senses were parallel to that of a newly turned blood sucker. She was going insane with need. Her hands were sweaty. Mouth dry as drought. And her core was so wet, she could feel herself dripping. In fact, a few droplets were climbing their way down the blonde's, pale, inner thighs. She needed this. And she needed it now!

_Hmm, so you want to play __coy__ now?_

The professor was now eyeing the blonde with predatory eyes, as she licked her lips. She was amused. She was having fun making the younger woman drown in her own need for release. But Regina Mills never makes it easy. If anyone was interested in her, or if she was interested in anyone, first they'd have to be deemed worthy of her. She was, after all, Regina fucking Mills.

She waited, and watched as the blonde slowly closed in on her, making sure she took her time to not seem effected, but Regina noticed. In theory, if Regina was effected by all this, then there was no way the blonde wasn't.

The Blonde finally reached the professor, and opened her mouth a couple of times before Regina held a finger to the younger woman's lips, tracing her lower lip, and dipping her finger inside her mouth to spread some moister. The blonde's lower lip was swollen from her earlier sucking, and it turned Regina on to endless levels.

Finally, Regina spoke as she stared at the blonde's lips with hunger, "how much do you want this?"

"As much as you want it..." She managed to let out after several long, low breath takes. And even then, it was just a hoarse whisper.

"Is that so?" With her right hand, she suddenly invaded the blonde's mouth with two of her fingers. Immediately, she felt the younger woman wrap her tongue around them, and slightly dig her teeth on her fingers. She gave a seductive smirk, and mused, "and how much do you think I want this?"

The blonde was feeling courageous, courtesy of all the adrenaline that seemed like an endless supply right now. She pressed even closer, closing her eyes and holding the brunette's right hand with both of her hands. She sucked deep, humming and muffling some moans. Regina felt the vibrations instantly travel all the way to her toes, passing by her incredibly wet core.

The blonde kept her doings like there was no tomorrow for a couple more beats, before she released the fingers with a low, sexy moan. "enough for you to do this in public." The blonde challenged, as she opened her eyes to meet brown ones in another intense gaze.

The brunette's knees were about to give up on her, so she had to do something quick. Regina moved closer to the blonde, and whispered into her ears, "I lost a key-card hours ago. If you want this.." She took the blonde's earlobe into her mouth and lightly sucked, before continuing, "find it.. then come find me." She pulled back, and smirked at the blonde, before storming away. She had to leave fast, before the blonde snaps out of her trance and follows her.

_She did __not__ just do this to me!_

* * *

The blonde started moving, as the words the brunette sprung on her registered. She needed to find that damn key, and she needed to find it now. And if the blonde was good at anything, she was good at finding things, and people. She headed straight to the reception. A short cut is surely fair game, or so she thought. The manager handed her a note:

**No cheating, dear.**

The blonde could not contain her shock. How on earth did she know? and when the hell did she write this? She asked the manager. He told her that he had just received a phone call from Professor R, and was informed to not give away any information, should a beautiful blonde approach him. She asked him to write a note, and hand it to that said blonde instead.

This only made the blonde get even more turned on. First, because the gorgeous brunette was a professor. Secondly, because she was obviously as smart as she was, or even smarter. Which was refreshing for the blonde.

She wasted no time, she hurried as she went back to the bar to look for the key-card, assuming that's where it'll be giving it was the last place the brunette was at. It was still crowded, and the people were even more drunk than before. To the sight of a beautiful lady in distress, most men stopped what they were doing and offered their help. She asked them to look around if anyone saw a missing key-card. They looked around. 3 minutes later, and the card was nowhere to be found. She was losing patience. She inwardly cursed the professor, but she still wanted her; badly.

As she was leaving the bar, the manager approached her with another note:

**Hall 5, near the 3rd table from the right.**

* * *

Regina stormed away from the blonde, knowing her knees would give up on her if she didn't leave. She thought about what she had told the blonde, and realized the blonde could easily charm her way through that push-over of a manager. At once, she called the reception, and gave him instructions of the first note.

Reaching her room, she opened the door fast as she could, and fell on the bed with a loud thud. Professor stayed there for 2 minutes, before she was up on her feet and was pacing the room impatiently. Regina was starting to wonder if the blonde will show up or not. Maybe the blonde needed some sort of clue. So she begun retracing her actions from earlier tonight to locate where she had actually lost her card. Never in her life had she regretted being this demanding, until this very moment.

Then she remembered. She called the reception for the 3rd time tonight, and gave him further instructions. The second note. All she had to do was wait, and the blonde will surely show up.

She waited.

And waited.

What if someone else found the card, before the blonde got there? A voice at the back of her head asked. Will you let this end like this? Will you even be able to go to sleep with all the need you have right now? What if she found another client, and was fucking him right this moment?

_No!_

Professor remembered what she had forgotten in the haze of lust, "She's a hooker.." Regina sadly muttered to her reflection on the mirror that was placed on the inside of the door. As soon as she uttered the words, a click sounded, and the door swung open. A breathless blonde stood outside the door, and was locking her furious green eyes with browns. Yes, they were green right now.

At the sight, all hesitance went out the window, as she grabbed the blonde, pulled her inside, and smacked her red lips with the blonde's for the second time tonight.

* * *

A/N: Hopefully, in a week the whole story would be up again after I've edited the chapters. For those who had been following Professor previously, sorry for the inconvenience. It will be re-uploaded without any changes to the storyline. However, there's a different version of this story that I'm uploading as well; "Professor Mills" and it starts with the first 2-3 chapters of this one with a slightly different background. If you felt disappointed with this one, perhaps that one would be much more to your tastes.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**2**

There she was; blonde curls amiss, the ragged of breaths, and eyes green with annoyance, but shimmering with overwhelming lust. The door swung shut, as Regina walked backwards, dragging the younger woman along, never breaking the kiss. Tongues urgently slamming against each other's in a rough, but sweet dance of dominance. She wrapped her arms around the younger woman's waist, holding her close, while the blonde woman held Regina's forearms like her life depended on it; breasts to breasts, ribs to ribs, mouth to mouth.

They reached the center of the room, continuing with their lust. When everything started spinning, the blonde broke the kiss first, gasping for air. But wasted no time in attacking the brunette's olive-toned neck, biting and sucking at her pulse point. The skin beneath the mercy of her desire turned a shade of blue and red. She admired her handy work with a combination of a moan, and hum.

"What took you so long?" Regina hoarsely asked, more so herself than the blonde. She wouldn't admit it, but she had always wanted someone like the blonde in her life. From the moment she saw her, she felt want, intrigue, happiness, sadness, and so much more. The younger woman was everything the brunette had ever dreamed of; sexy, beautiful, smart, strong, and just..just..

_A big __fucking__ bang._

The younger woman surely must've felt the same, or she wouldn't be here, Regina thought. She wanted nothing more than to ask if the blonde felt this impossible, dangerous attraction. They were almost like two separated lovers that had just been reunited. And if she didn't hear it in verbal admission, she'd be damned if she didn't hear it directly from the blonde's body. Preferably, screaming her name. But then again, to a hooker this could be just business. Pretense.

"Sorry, did you wait long, professor?" The blonde answered through sharp breath intakes. Not wanting to stop biting the brunette's collarbone.

Regina was taken aback, she pulled away a little, and raised an eyebrow, silently questioning the blonde.

The younger woman shrugged, "an apple of a manager" and went back to her ministrations against the brunette's neck, rubbing her shoulders gently.

Regina produced the sweetest of chuckles, "please, don't insult the apples, dear. They've done nothing wrong." She slid her hands up the blonde's back in search for the zipper. As soon as she found it, she smoothly slipped from the younger woman's tight embrace, grabbed one of her arms, and swiftly turned her around. She tugged blonde curls aside, and planted an open-mouth kiss behind her bed-partner's left ear. The blonde shivered; Regina smirked.

_Where were you my whole life?_

She kissed her way down to the zipper, and bit on it with her teeth, sliding it open while her hands travelled down the blonde's sides; slowly getting to her knees in the process of unwrapping her precious prize. The dress slid down, and pooled around the blonde's heels, revealing a matching pair of black silk. Regina hummed in approval. Feeling her need elevate, the blonde turned around, stepping out of the dress ring. She leaned towards Regina, cupped both her cheeks, and kissed her speechless. The brunette gave in for a moment, before regaining control. She bit slightly on the blonde's lower lip, eliciting a moan of pain, undoubtedly coated with pleasure.

"Patience, my dear." Regina smirked, looking up at the blonde through lust-hooded eyes.

She held the blonde's right hand, and placed it on her shoulder for support, as she took off the younger woman's heels; one by one, and placing the softest of kisses on both of her knees.

In one motion, Regina tugged at the elastic band, removing the lust-soaked panties, and slowly licked along the length of the blonde's sex. Once. Twice. The blonde bit the back of her hand, muffling the hoarse moans as much as she could.

Regina looked up, and smirked. This woman was everything she wished for.

The blonde glanced down, and blushed at the sight.

Professor teased her entrance with her tongue, while running her hands up and down the blonde's wet thighs, earning a hissed scream for jesus.

"So, so delectable." Regina hummed in gratefulness, as she got up to her feet. Her eyes slamming shut, and she gently kissed beautiful, pink lips. Lips that she'd been looking to kiss ever since she knew of love.

The younger woman was not known for her patience, though. She was known for being handsy, and incredibly absent minded when it came to assuaging her sexual needs. She cupped the brunette's perfectly, rounded rear and squeezed tightly. Regina let out a loud, wanton moan, and deepened their kiss; her tongue mapping the inside of the younger woman's mouth. The brunette quickly ridded the blonde of the last piece of clothing that kept her from her prize, and cupped her bare breasts, viciously massaging the mounds.

_How much am I going to pay for this wonderful prize?_

Breaking the kiss, "how much?" She wasn't really asking out of fear of not affording, she was just curious. There really wasn't a price anyone could pay for what she was feeling right now.

"..What?" The younger woman was confused, till realization hit her. She chuckled, "right." She untangled herself, moved past the older woman, and crawled into bed; swaying her hips in the process. She settled in the middle of the king-sized bed, seductively leaning on her elbows. She slightly parted her thighs, giving the brunette quite a view, "why don't you fucking decide for yourself how much I'm worth, professor." She smiled wickedly, and licked her lips "quite literally."

Patience was out the door, and so was etiquette. Regina swiftly slid out of her leather dress, heels, and urgently attacked the younger woman's lips with her own, placing herself on top, and between the blonde's very, very wet thighs. She lowered herself, and started grinding in a slow, uncoordinated manner. It was teasing both of them to no end, but it felt heavenly exhilarating; nothing ever felt better.

She wanted to savor this moment. She wanted to take her time, but her body was burning up, and she found that it was impossible to go on any longer without any type of release. She wondered if she ever was this turned on before, and found the answer to be, no.

With no warning or shame, she plunged 2 fingers deep inside the blonde, and started a quick pace of thrusts.

"Oh God!" The blonde let out a series of muffled moans, groans and incoherent grumblings. Feeling the need to touch the other woman, she slipped her hand inside the brunette's navy silk, and hummed in approval discovering the ever flowing wetness between two perfectly toned thighs. She thrust 2 fingers inside, maintaing the brunette's pace. With her other hand, she unclasped the matching silk bra, threw it on the floor, and fiddled with a hardened nipple with her fingers, eliciting a loud whimper from the brunette.

Regina's mind was going insane. She needed release, but she also needed a glass of water. Possibly 2 glasses. She felt like the meat underneath her skin was on fire, and the blonde was adding fuel with every move; every breath, and every whisper she made.

Eyes closed shut, keeping up their pace of thrusting, and vicious grinding; wet, promiscuous sounds filled the air, accompanied by the two women's screams of utter pleasure. Nothing about this was planned; nothing was on purpose. It just happened. And it wasn't anything like they've felt before. Never have they ever felt they could die out of pure pleasure. But it sure as hell felt like they were about to do so.

Regina tried to swallow, to ease the dryness in her throat, but she was out of moister. She really was on the verge of blacking out, but her desire to stay awake till the end overshadowed all. She took small, but deep breaths to steady herself, and focused on the task at hand. She wondered if the younger woman was feeling the same way she felt.

Nearing the edge, the blonde opened her greens to meet brown ones. Silently pleading each other for the same thing. No words needed. The brunette broke the kiss, and whispered in the blondes right ear, "Regina.." The blonde shuddered, and whispered her own name in a hoarse whimper, "Emma.." She told her, "Emma," she repeated, her voice louder.

_Beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful!_

"Emma.." Regina whispered back. Hearing her name, the blonde's orgasm hit her hard. She writhed as she called Regina's name multiple times. Hearing her own name uttered by the beautiful blonde, Regina orgasmed in return. They kept their ministrations, and rode another orgasm hitting them both simultaneously.

* * *

**6:23 a.m: **

Regina was on top of Emma, positioned between her legs under the covers, and her upper body was balanced up with her elbows. Curtains were draped; making the room dark and mysterious. The atmosphere something between comfortable and cozy, to I-can't-believe-this-just-happened. Both women were wide awake, but had their eyes closed as Regina plastered Emma a mountain of slow, endearing kisses and quick pecks; using the tiniest bit of tongue, and the occasional grind. Emma laid still, but kept her hands sloppily draped over Regina's shoulder and neck, happily receiving attention.

_I could get used to your smell, Regina._

"My nipples won't stop being so damn erect..." Emma admitted in between kisses.

Regina gave a throaty laugh, and it was incredibly attractive, "you might be cold.."

"I might be..." Emma's right hand trailed to Regina's shoulder, and down to her left breast, "oh...you might be cold, too..."

Regina gasped at the touch, but kept her kisses coming, "I might be..."

After a couple of beats, Regina's right hand moved from beside Emma's face to her neck, caressing it before traveling down to Emma's left breast. Regina cupped the mound, and hummed into the kiss, "maybe you're just happy to see me..."

It was Emma's turn to give a throaty laugh, "you might be right. Erect nipples are like female boners..." Emma grinned.

Regina grinned in return, "then you definitely have a lady boner, dear." Regina just couldn't stop herself from smiling like a love-struck fool. This was one of the happiest moments in her life.

Emma sweetly hummed, "technically, I have two lady-boners, professor."

Regina bit on her bottom lip to keep herself from smiling, and nudged Emma's nose with her own, "two lady-boners and a sweet honey well.." She slowly grind herself against Emma's core, and felt Emma shake in response.

_Hmmm..._

Emma gladly whimpered, "I'll take that to go, and 2 extra buns." Her hand left Regina's breast, and pressed against her lower back.

Regina's kisses paused, as she giggled against Emma's lips. She took the blonde's lower lip into her mouth, and sucked lightly, "bad girl!"

Emma fought not to open her eyes. She slipped her tongue inside Regina's mouth and teased; making contact with her tongue, and retreating in a way to lure the brunette's into her mouth.

Regina obliged, and slid her tongue inside Emma's waiting mouth and kissed her passionately. Tongues exploring, lips coated with want, and hands roaming each other's body; leaving a burning trail in its wake.

A minute passed, and Regina eased the kiss into a fit of laughter to the sound of Emma's hungry stomach; angrily pleading for food.

"Is it really that funny, Regina?" Emma pouted.

_Adorable!_

Regina said nothing, and got off the blonde and headed to the living room area, where the fridge was located.

Emma laid still, not wanting to open her eyes. She feared if she did, she'd discover that she was dreaming. So she kept them shut, not wanting to wake up if this had been a dream.

"Emma," Regina called from the living room area, "Emma?"

_I could get used to your voice, Regina._

She thought the blonde was following her. Regina came back to the bedroom, and hovered over Emma's stilled body, "are you sleeping?" The blonde shook her head a no.

"What's wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Regina sat next to Emma, and placed her right palm against Emma's forehead.

Emma slowly opened her eyes to the contact, "Regina?"

Regina's eyes narrowed, "mm, what is it? Are you feeling sick?"

Emma just smiled, held the hand that was on her forehead and kissed professor's palm; sending a shiver all the way down Regina's spine. She turned to Regina, and saw the mark she had made a couple of hours earlier and smirked at it, before placing a soft kiss on top of the bluish love bruise, "I'm fine.." the _now that you're here_ went unspoken.

Regina smiled, and dragged Emma out of the bedroom, and into the living room.

* * *

The older woman motioned to Emma to sit on the couch, before she went to the fridge. Emma watched as Regina bent on her knees, to fetch something out, and couldn't help the whistle that escaped her mouth at the sight. Regina shook her head, and looked over her shoulder, sucking on her lower lip, "what was that, dear?"

Emma quickly changed her posture, and laid on her side, blonde curls fell down the height of the couch. She had her head resting on an elbow, and the other hand on her hip. Her right leg bent upwards in an inviting way, "I left some room for you to sit, professor."

Regina's eyes grew black to the blonde in front of her.

_God__.. it's illegal how__ sexy__ this woman is._

She got up, and started to walk towards the blonde. Her intent was clear. Emma's attempt to seduce the brunette worked like magic. Before Regina made it to Emma, another cry for help sounded from, this time, Regina's stomach. It was Emma's turn to break into a fit of laughter, "is it really that funny, Emma?" Regina used Emma's line, and disappeared into the bedroom for a minute before emerging with a robe hugging her body, and another one for Emma, "put this on. We clearly need them." Emma just smiled, and put the robe on, not caring to close it all the way; letting one of her perfectly, rounded breasts to fall into view.

_I could get used to being around you, Regina._

The brunette grabbed a bottle of water and a blue tupperware from the fridge, and an apple from the fruit basket, "Here." She handed Emma the tupperware, and quickly went to get her a fork.

They sat next to each other on the couch, and started digging into their food. Emma took a bite of the Chicken Fettuccine, that looked very much home made, "did you make this?" Emma glanced at Regina, and arched an eyebrow.

"I did. Do you not like it?" Regina was being coy.

"No. It's alright, I guess." Emma was being coy, as well.

Both knew that this Fettuccine was the best Fettuccine the blonde had ever tasted in her life, but both kept their compliments to a minimum. After all, all this they're doing right now. All the kisses; all the hugs and cuddles; all of the intense orgasms, and the unbearable pleasure, will only last for as long as the brunette is willing to pay.

Regina paused, "what now?" she whispered, looking away.

Emma opened her mouth like she was about to say something, but decided against it. She slid the lid of the tupperware to the table, and inhaled. "Now we eat." She looked up at Regina, and smiled.

The brunette nodded, _we're already eating_. "Of course," she said, and gave the younger woman a smile.

Emma shrunk slightly, but seemed to have recovered quickly. She glanced up, and shrugged. _What now?_ She repeated the question in her head. "I don't know," she said, "I really don't." She whispered.

The brunette nodded, before she gave a fake smile.

They looked at each other for a few beats as Regina dug into her apple, and Emma continued eating from the tupperware. It was just a look, but it said so much more than any of them were willing to comprehend. It was a look that said, _you guys are screwed, you guys are utterly, and completely screwed._

"Are you thirsty?" Emma asked, clearing her throat.

"I am," Regina grabbed the bottle, but before she could open it, Emma snatched it from her, "let me."

The older woman just looked at her with confusion. She watched as Emma opened the bottle, and took a big sip of water. She locked eyes with Regina, before leaning on top of her, and using her water-filled mouth to relinquish Regina's thirst.

_Oh..._

Regina gulped twice, before she broke away from Emma, and locked browns with greens, "what are you doing to me?" Regina felt her heart pound against her chest, begging to leave her body. She wanted to feel the blonde just once more before all this charade they orchestrated shattered to pieces. She needed this like she's never needed anything else her entire life. Her throat was closing off to the bittersweet truth behind all of this play they were playing.

_Was __any__ of it real? _

Before Emma could answer, Regina reattached their lips in a searing kiss, untangling the blonde's robe in the process. If anything was real, it was the way Emma screamed Regina's name when she was at the top of the world, and at the moment, that was the only thing Regina desired.

_Let me make love to you just one more __fucking__ time._


	3. Chapter 3

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**3**

Regina Mills was no easy woman. Regina Mills was the most difficult, stubborn, arrogant, micromanaging professor in all of Boston. She liked to think things through weeks before hand, if she could help it. Like that one time when she noticed a fellow professor's sudden pregnancy. Penny Kim was as gullible as they come, or so Regina thought. She had shoulder-length red hair, toned body, and her eyes were black as night. As naive as she was, she was also very resourceful, and a sociable woman. She knew her way around town, and she knew all the right people who'd get her whatever she wanted.

Penny taught Human Interactions 101 quite brilliantly, Regina thought. But she'll be damned if she allowed Mrs. Kim to get away with infidelity. Not on Regina's watch. No. She knew her husband was sterile, and could not possibly be the father. Mrs. Kim couldn't have been trying a different method to get pregnant; her rich husband simply did not want any children. And while Mrs. Kim was only 2 months pregnant, Regina could tell from the woman's change in demeanor; mood swings, morning sickness, and later a pregnancy test that quite confirmed her suspicions. It wouldn't be a surprise if Regina knew even before the woman herself.

Professor had a quick chat with the woman, and in a matter of a month, Mrs. Kim was no longer a married woman. Penny's pregnancy ran its course smoothly with Regina's help, and from that day onwards, Penny Kim was deemed Regina Mill's personal errand girl. Whenever Regina needed assistant with an issue; personal or not, she'd call the gullible redhead. If Regina was willing to call anyone her friend, Penny would be the only one.

* * *

**11:35 a.m:**

"Yes, Penny. I understand...Yes..I'm not worried, though. The man cannot put together a child's puzzle, let alone Mathematical equations." Regina was engaged in a serious conversation with her redhead friend. Penny had called her to tell her that her nemesis, Harold whatever his last name was, had called in a favor to acquire the Mathematical equations for the contest she'll be participating in this evening.

"Even if he does get the equations, would he really be able to solve all of them correctly, Penny?" Regina was confident, but not without good reason.

"I suppose not. Just be careful, Gina. I don't trust him, he's a jerk." Penny sounded through the phone.

The brunette just wanted to end the call. There were so many things she wanted to do with the blonde before time was up. She wanted to have a shower with her; grab lunch with her; make out some more with her, and so much more. So many possibilities.

"I will be careful, don't worry. Thanks for the heads up, Penny." Regina hung up the phone first, and glanced at the clock. It read 11:42 a.m. Technically, she wanted the blonde for the whole night, but since they got together at exactly 1:03 a.m, then they only have about an hour left till the blonde has to leave. Or at least that's what the brunette concluded.

She glanced at Emma on the bed, who was sleeping for 2 hours now. The only sleep she ever got since their encounter, all the other time was spent in bed; passionately driving each other insane. Their choice of weaponry? Intense, mind blowing, sexual intercourse. Regina can't say she won the battle, but she can say that both of them were on mutual grounds.

_Do I wake her up?_

_I want to wake her up. _

_But she looks so peaceful,_

_and pretty,_

_and sexy,_

_and delectable,_

_and alluring,_

_and..._

Regina's train of thoughts was cut short with a stir from the blonde that accidentally pushed her left breast on stage, and into the spotlight. She stumbled to her knees, sat on the floor, and balanced her weight on her hands, trying to get a top view of Emma's exposed body.

Professor spent a good 10 minutes appreciating the younger woman, before the blonde spoke up, "would you like a taste, Regina?" Emma still had her eyes closed. Slowly, she cupped her left breast and squeezed. Hearing Regina's breathing grow heavy, Emma started pinching her nipple; allowing a low moan to escape her mouth.

Regina watched as the blonde, all but tore the garment away from her body, and started fiddling with the her other nipple. She kept her ministrations, enjoying the hot air, and low moans she received from the brunette.

"Regina..." Emma moaned, her voice was a sin. "Regina..."

Regina, withholding it no more, launched forward, capturing the blonde's pink lips with her own. She kissed her passionately, and eased it into a gentle one when the blonde struggled underneath her; writhing slightly.

The older woman took off her robe, and straddled the blonde. She held her right hand up, and placed two fingers inside the blonde's mouth, with no apparent preamble. Regina leaned down, pressing her body against the blonde, and whispered with a low, but clear voice, "Suck."

Emma obliged, almost immediately, and started sucking her own fingers; allowing the wet sounds to resonate through the air. Regina pulled back slightly, and intently watched the blonde do as told, while still having one hand fiddle with a hardened nipple.

When she felt content, she leaned back against the blonde, and whispered into her ear, "now fuck yourself, Emma." She grabbed her hand, and lead it to the blonde's core.

Emma wasted no time, and went inside immediately. Regina captured Emma's mouth in a searing kiss once again, and rubbed herself against the blonde's muscular abdomen; moaning into the kiss. She opened her eyes, and channeled a glance at the clock:

**12:28 p.m.**

She felt close, but didn't want to feel the joy of an orgasm. Not when they only had less than 40 minutes left. Right now, she just wanted to make the blonde remember what it felt like to be thoroughly fucked by Regina Mills. She wanted to teach Emma's body a different type of lesson. A lesson she would never forget. A lesson, Regina, herself, would not forget.

She broke the kiss, hugged the blonde with her left hand, and held the blonde's right hand, stopping its movement. Emma opened her eyes, locking her eyes with Regina's; questioning, pleading, promising.

"Keep your fingers inside.." Regina instructed, "can you take a third one?" She asked, finding that the woman beneath her was tighter than she had expected.

Emma nodded, and then she felt it. Regina slipped her middle finger inside the blonde's wet core, and in between the blondes fingers. She cupped Emma's hand with hers, and started her thrusts. Slowly at first, then faster, and soon turned into desperate, hungry thrusts; which the blonde kept up with perfectly.

Regina leaned forward, took an earlobe into her mouth, and hummed in appreciation of the blonde's desperate moans, and hoarse curses. Emma felt the vibrations of Regina's humming course through her body like lightening. She had already climaxed once sometime between her thrusts and feeling Regina's wet and hot core against her ribs. Emma was nearing her second orgasm.

All it took was Regina curving her finger, and whispering in her ear, "come for me, Emma. Come!" And the blonde was screaming Regina's name, and arching her back in mind-blowing, utter pleasure. They kept their thrusts fast and strong, long after Emma came down from her high.

Regina notwithstanding the pressure building up in her own sex, she straddled Emma's thigh, and rubbed herself against it, keeping up with their thrusts's pace.

It only took a minute for both of them to reach their orgasms. Regina biting the younger woman's earlobe, with Emma breaking her record of consecutive orgasms in the span of just 10 minutes.

* * *

Regina watched as the clock struck **1:00 p.m.** The blonde was fast asleep. She had blacked out from their previous engagement. The brunette was lying right next to her, spooning the younger woman in a tight embrace. Every passing second, Regina felt the lump in her throat grow bigger, and more bitter. She snarled at the clock, willing it to go slower or to stand still. But time was stubborn; it answered to no one.

Right on time, the blonde stirred, and lazily opened her eyes. It was 1:03 p.m. It was time for them to yell '**cut**' and move on with their lives. Except no one wanted to end this scene. So they both laid still, watching the clock tick away the seconds. **1:04 p.m.** came and went. **1:05** came and went just as fast as the minute before. Still, they laid there with Regina's arms around the blonde, and Emma tightly gripping the brunette's wrist.

**1:18 p.m.** No one dared to move or utter a word.

**1:27 p.m.**

**1:39 p.m.**

**2:12 p.m**

And still nothing. They said nothing. They did nothing. They even expected nothing of each other. They just laid still, afraid of moving from this comfortable position. Scared of missing the warmth of each other's body. Scared of outside world, and scared of losing one another.

**2:20 p.m. **

It was Regina who broke the silence, "...let me get my purse..." Her voice was barely audible, but it was loud enough for Emma to hear.

Emma nodded, but made no motion to let go of the brunette's wrist, nor did the brunette loosen her embrace.

**2:34 p.m.**

Emma let go of Regina's wrist, and rolled into the other side. She grabbed her robe from underneath her, and put it back on. Regina watched Emma put it on, and her heart broke to pieces. She got up, and left the room to get her purse. She chose not to put on her own robe; more like she didn't care.

After 10 minutes, Regina emerged from the living room to find the blonde fully dressed. Suddenly she felt her nakedness sink in, but made no motion to cover up. Too late, she though. Emma had already stripped her of everything she owned; along with her insanity. She reached the blonde, and sat next to her on the bed.

A couple of moments passed, and Emma spoke up first, "I hope you enjoyed your night, Regina. I know I did." She glanced at her employer, and smiled warmly.

Regina closed her eyes, and prayed to all gods for her not to start crying, "I quite did, my dear." The only way she knew how to control her emotions was through arrogance.

_I don't need her. She was just a fling, and now I'm over it._

Emma noticed the change in the brunette, but at that point it didn't matter to her, "good." She nodded, "I'm glad." She added after a couple of beats.

Regina stood up, and looked at the blonde, "your money" she handed her an envelope with shaky hands.

Emma took the envelope, and locked eyes with the brunette.

_This is goodbye, Regina._

They broke the gaze, and walked towards the door, and stood right next to it. Emma turned to face Regina, "Regina, it was lovely being in your presence. I quite enjoyed myself, and it was…" She trailed, leaned in, and captured the older woman's lips in a gentle kiss.

On impulse, Regina's hand shot up, holding the blonde closer and deepening the kiss. A couple of beats went by, and Regina broke the contact. She opened the door, and put on a fake smile, "Good bye, my dear."

Emma nodded sadly, and murmured back, "good bye, Regina."

* * *

It was funny to Regina how Emma was with her for more than 12 hours, but somehow it felt like a couple of minutes, really. Why do all good days go by so fast, she wondered. Why couldn't time stand still, if even for just a day. Just another hour. Just another minute, she could have Emma back.

The older woman closed the door after the blonde had left. She winced, glancing at her reflection in the mirror that was on the back of the door. She remembered what she had been trying to forget for the past 12 hours, "she's a hooker, Regina." She reminded herself, "a prostitute."

_She's a hooker._

_You can't fall for her._

_She's probably heading to her next client right this minute._

_Oh, God.._

_Oh, God!_

She was panicking. Her vision became blurry with unshed tears, and her heart was beating out of her chest, "Oh God! she's a hooker.." her voice hitched, "not a criminal...not a minor...not a fucking janitor...but.." She gasped for air, "a..a hooker.." she whispered, as her knees finally gave up on her, and she fell to the ground, breaking into a million pieces.

Yes, Regina Mills was no easy woman. Regina Mills was difficult, stubborn, and arrogant. But Regina Mills was also human.


	4. Chapter 4

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**4**

_Evening came with its dark night of bitterness. The harsh reality of being alone, only sunk in when she's tried to be with someone; when she shared her time, soul and body. Opened up all the doors to her heart, and so willingly made herself vulnerable. She let her guard down, and for a moment in her life, she felt complete._

_Yes, the harsh reality is that no matter how many days pass; no matter how many lovers she'll take from now on, she will never be able to erase her from her heart. She will never be able to erase her from her body. She is now marked as hers, forever. It is in the cruelty of the night that she realizes;_

_I __love__ her._

* * *

"Where the hell is she?" A professor from another university asked, "where is professor Mills? She's half an hour late." He swatted his arms around.

A judge stated, "if she doesn't show up in the next 5 minutes, she's disqualified as a contestant. We do have our rules to follow."

Lies! All lies. They would never disqualify her. Regina Mills was the star of the competition. By the unwritten rules, she's to never be disqualified. The judges knew that, and so did everyone else. Not only did she bring good publicity to Boston Gate, she also brought dozens of customers to the Hotel, nearby restaurants, and all of Boston in general. Disqualifying her is like dropping the lead actress in a play with no understudy available. Plus the sponsors would sue, and they just don't have that kind of money to spend about.

Regina finally showed up an hour later. The hall was nearly full. Everyone mostly showed up to have a peek at the beautiful ice queen, Professor Regina. The massive hall had a wooden stage in the middle, surrounded by circular rows of deep-red, plastic chairs. On the stage, the contestants were already seated in their chairs, and the 5 judges were occupying theirs. Everyone's eyes darted to the door, watching, and anticipating Professor's arrival. Some with angry expressions, but most with admiration and loyalty. She swayed her hips, and got on stage, "hello everyone." She waved a hand, and sat on the chair left empty for her. As she made contact with the chair, she disgustingly winced with a tut sound, "this chair..." She elegantly stood, "is cold." She finished, and looked around, holding her chin up high. "I give you enough time to prepare for the round, and you can't even keep a chair warm?" She gave a fake smile.

Regina Mills was no easy woman, and what Regina Mills demands, Regina Mills gets. And right now, she demands a reasonably warm chair, certainly nothing unattainable. She spotted a fidgeting judge, nervously sitting on his leather chair, looking at anything else but the brunette. She recognized him as Steve Gaylord, a somewhat of a genius physicists. Steve was a classmate of hers when she was a freshman in college. He earned his bachelor degree at the age of 17, and his masters at 19. After that he just disappeared off the face of the earth.

She smirked, "darling, be a sweetheart and switch chairs with me." She motioned for him in a condescending gesture saying _move it_. "Judge Gaylord." She smiled.

He looked at her baffled, "professor Mills, you remember me? It had been more than a decade already.

Regina slowly approached Steve, making sure to give everyone else a decent runway show. She shook his hand, tightening her grip to the point of causing pain. "Of course I remember you." She leaned in closer, and whispered "If not by facial recognition, then most definitely by that hideous name of yours, Stevie; Sir Gaylord."

A strong shudder erupted at the mention of his nickname. He visibly gulped, and gently motioned for Regina to step aside, holding her forearm with his shaky hands. He then swiftly pushed his leather chair, and replaced it with hers. Steve looked over his shoulder, and gave a nervous smile. She smirked, and smiled back.

The judges waited until everyone's seated, and commenced the 4th elimination round of the Mathematical competition.

"Let the games begin!"

* * *

_Oh, how her naked body shudders to the lightest of my touches. I trail a hovering hand over her mouth, tracing her lips, feeling its softness against my skin. I finally let my hand press harder, dragging her bottom lip with my index. Her tongue sneaks out and dances with my finger, greedily accepting it into her mouth. She begins sucking, and moaning slightly. Regina, she whispers into my finger, biting me in the process. It gives me pain, but it gives me so much more pleasure. Her eyes flutter shut, she moans hard, and I almost become undone hearing her whimper of pleasure. _

_With my other hand, I push her on the table, and straddle her hips. She takes my finger out of her mouth, and leads my hand to one of her exposed breasts. She leaves my wet finger on top of her erect nipple, and moans loudly at the contact, arching her back. I immediately pinch it, loving its feeling between my fingers. I lower myself, and shamelessly suck on the other nipple, not having a care in the world._

_She brings a hand up, and laces it through my hair, bringing my mouth closer to her delicious peak. When I feel her nearing her orgasm, I finally crawl down, and roughly enter her with my tongue. She screams my name over and over, and I find myself indulging in her pleasure so much that it feels mine. She begs me to spare her the embarrassment, but I don't stop. I can't stop. White, pale skin fluttering underneath the mercy of my mouth. Her legs spread wide open, for everyone to see, while I.._

"Regina.." A warm hand is placed on Regina's shoulder, shaking her a bit, "Regina...are you okay.

Regina looks up, and find Penny looking at her worriedly, "Penny..."

Penny smiles, and leans closer to the brunette, "are you okay? You scared me for a minute there..."

Regina nods, and smiles genuinely at her redhead friend, "I'm fine, just a little distracted at the moment..." She looks at her friend, and frowns, "what brings you here, Penny. I though you got eliminated round 2.."

Penny smiles a bit more, "doesn't mean I shouldn't be here for my friend...Regina."

The brunette nods, and keeps her gaze on her friend, "sorry...like I said, I'm a bit distracted.."

Penny's smiles grows wider, "tell me about it.." She tightens her hand around the brunette's shoulder, leans, and whispers in her friend's ear, "the judge was asking you if you need a doctor."

Regina's eyes grow wide, but she refuses to let it show for any longer than a split second. She recomposes herself, and keeps listening to her friend, "you stopped at equation 6, and started breathing heavily...until you just stopped responding to your surroundings. A couple of guards went to fetch a doctor...but for now" She leaned even closer, "the answer is: the equation is false, thus there's no possible right answer" She pulls back, smiles reassuringly, and leaves the stage, leaving her friend a chance to gather herself.

"I am perfectly fine, ladies and gentlemen." She gets up, and reaches for the judges' table. "I am, however, perfectly bored, as well." She leans, and grabs the question paper, and gives it a quick read. "I'll make things a bit easier for everyone." She spends the next minute scribbling on the paper, "and done." She hands the paper back, and waits for the judges to... well, to judge.

"All correct! Professor Regina, you win this round!" Cheer erupt at the display of her genius. She looks around with a smirk plastered on her face, "thank you, thank you." She elegantly steps down the stage, and leaves the hall, with Penny a couple of steps behind.

* * *

"She's ruined me, Penny!" Regina vents to her friend, "it's not just this room that reminds me of her." She flails her arms, "she's everywhere!"

"I keep looking at blondes, thinking she'd be one of them."

"And every damn red dress..."

"I hear the sound of fucking heels, and I turn around... even though I know it's not her."

"I close my damn eyes, and I see her. I dream of her."

"So I try to wake up, and I wake up. I open my eyes...and she's still there."

"She's everywhere!"

Penny gives her friend an apologetic smile, "you did say you only met her yesterday...it'll take time, Regina." She continues pacing the room, along with her brunette friend.

"Yesterday..." Regina muses, "yes..it was only yesterday that I met her..." She stops her pacing, and looks at Penny, "but it just feels like I've known her my entire life, Penny. She makes me feel..." She looks away, "made me feel things I never thought I was capable of feeling..."

"And you're sure she wasn't in it for the money?" Penny finds that she has to ask.

"Yes. I am sure...I can read body language, it's the first thing they teach you in Psychology school." She looks back at her friend, "but I'll know for sure in a couple of weeks..."

Penny frowns at her friend, "what does that mean..? what did you do?" She reaches for the brunette, and holds her shoulders, "Regina?"

Regina gives a sad smile, "if it works, I'll tell you what I did.."

"And if it doesn't?"

"If it doesn't... then I'll..." She looks down, and lets a single tear slip through, "if it doesn't, then I'll move cities.."

"Regina!" Penny yells at her friend, but seeing her shudder to her yell, she wraps her arms around Regina, and hugs her tightly.

_Maybe that stupid hooker did ruin Regina Mills._

_I have never seen her this weak. Poor Regina..._

* * *

**7 Months Later**

"Look, look." A student motions to her slightly older friend, "it's Professor Regina."

"Ohh, maih, Godh! Those heels are to die for!"

"They wouldn't fit you if you cut your feet in half, honey." The girl nudges her friend.

"They so would! You're just jealous."

"I might be jealous, but not of you, pumpkin head, but of Professor Kim."

"Ugh! Yeah, that bitch!" He flails his arms in disappointment, "she totally came from nowhere, and degraded our queen."

"Bite your tongue! No one can degrade our Queen, you ignorant! No one!" She playfully swings an imaginary sword his way, "plus, you're gay."

"So?" He smirked at his friend, "she'd totally make me straight. I mean those reading glasses she wears in class, she's seriously gonna give me a heat attack."

"You mean heart attack?"

"Look at my beautiful, full, red, plump, sexy, gorgeous..."

"Get to the point already!"

"Look at my lips. Look at them!"

"What?"

"What are they saying?"

"I don't know, what are they saying, Stevie?"

"They're saying Regina Mills gives me a heat-attack." He purses his lips together, "A heat-attack, girl. A heat-attack." He stands up, and gestures to his crotch, "especially in this area."

"Ewwww. Get away from me, you pervert!"

* * *

"Dean." Regina calls out. She likes to take attendance on random days, and whenever the room seems to be overcrowded. Some students would sneak in, to attend her class, and to appreciate the Queen in her environment of regal. This time, however, was the beginning of a new semester, and she was obliged to do so by University standards.

"Here." The students shouts back.

"Decker."

"Present."

"Dominique."

Not a sound. Regina marks the student's name, and continues with her attendance call.

"Ellis."

"Here."

"Eliot."

Regina choses to call again, "Eliot..."

"Here!" A boy from the back calls back.

Without looking up, or away from the paper she was clutching, "Please tell me all about the surgery you went through, Mr Eliot."

The boy struggled, before speaking up, "what surgery, Professor?"

"The sex-change surgery, dear. I am well aware that the Eliot that's in my 10 a.m. class is a 5 ft tall brunette, who had far less testosterone in her voice than yourself, dear." She had recognized the student's name, and knew the girl worked Monday mornings at the Cafe across from campus.

"Please proceed to the next exit, Mr Eliot. And be kind and take every trespasser along with you. After all..." The student can see a smirk forming on her lips. But, still, she never looks up, "you wouldn't want to be the only one getting caught, would you?" She teases.

A moment passes, and Eliot speaks up, "Stevie, you need to leave man."

"Why are you doing this?" Stevie hisses from under the table.

"Get your ass up here, and lets go." Eliot hisses back.

"Oh," Regina exclaims, finally looking up, "the infamous Mr Steve." She locks eyes with the man, and gives him a warning glance. Stevie gets the message, and crawls out from under the table, and heads for the door. He looks back, and gives Regina one last stare, "have a good day, Professor." He smiles genuinely, and leaves the room with Mr Eliot by his side.

Regina stares at the door for a beat, pondering in her thoughts, before continuing with her attendance call.

That damn Stevie!

"Emily."

"Present."

Regina pauses, and her back stiffens. Her breath hitches, and it does not go missed from the watching eyes.

"Emma." Regina calls, more a whisper than anything else, but perfectly audible.

"Emma." She calls again, her voice gentle as a mother's soothing her child into sleep.

"Emma!" She finally calls out, and yet no answer resounds back.

Regina snaps her head up, and searches the room. "Where is she?" She questions, "where is Emma?" She wonders whom it is she's asking, herself or the rest of the world.

Finally, from the back seats, a girl finds her voice, "I think Emma dropped this class, Professor."

Regina's eyes find the girl, "why?" She punctuates with disgust.

"Because she's getting married, and doesn't need school anymore."

Regina lets out a breath she's been holding, and calms herself down. She knows this Emma couldn't possibly be her Emma. The personality just doesn't fit. So she gives up on the attendance call, and finds shelter behind teaching.

* * *

Regina thinks back to the day of the competition, as her head rests on the edge of her Jacuzzi. She had won 3 rounds, and was a round away from being the winner again, before Harold, whatever his last name was, gets drunk and reveals that he bribed a judge to obtain the questions. After some investigation, naturally, the man gets arrested. They had found that Harold was selling out the questions to students, and professors since the first day of the rounds. He had a couple of judges that provided him with the questions, and those were arrested as well. The students involved were expelled, and black listed at all the major Universities in Boston. After delaying the competition for 2 weeks, everything just crumbled down, and the decision to cancel it for a year was made.

She sighs, and dismissed the memory.

She doesn't dare think about the blonde in a steamy place as her Jacuzzi, but sometimes she can't help it. She closes her eyes, and thinks of her. She wonders what it would feel like if the younger woman was with her this second. She doesn't mean for it to happen, but her nipples are erect. It had been 7 long months since the last time she'd had a decent orgasm, and it was driving her insane.

But even in the pool of wetness she's soaking in, she still wants to practice self control. You can do this, she finds herself repeating in her head. You can do this. She looks across the hot pool, and sees her there. Blonde curls dancing in the wind, and some diving into the water. Beautiful, pale skin, dipped under the water, and graced above it. The blonde is as naked as the day she was born. Regina gazes at the blonde, and wonders what would happen if she reached out to touch her, but she decides against it. Just like all the other times she'd decided against it in the past 7 months. Instead, she settles for a hallucination, because for now, that is all she can get.

"Emma." Regina calls.

Emma's head turns to Regina's, and she smiles.

"Emma..." Regina calls again, this time her voice hitches at the end, but all the blonde does is smile at her like she's the one thing she can see. Regina doesn't take it any longer, and snaps her eyes shut. This is torture, she thinks.

It is funny the things that most stuck with Regina. She recalls the time she'd seen the blonde smile in that manner. It had been during their last hours together. The blonde was lazily leaning against the headboard, with her arms arched on her thighs, and her legs stretched on bed. Regina had just came out of the bathroom, and was pulling her hair up in a pun. Emma had noticed the brunette walk in, and looked up at her, and then it happened. She smiled that beautiful smile of hers, and Regina found herself mirroring it all the same. They had stayed that way for minutes, before the blonde parted her thighs, and patted on the bed space between her legs.

Yes, she remembers it all too vividly, that Regina. She remembers the way the blonde smelled, and felt like against her hot burning skin. She remembers the sound of her wanton scream, as she drove her insane, both physically and mentally. She remembers her laugh, and the cute little wrinkles she gets around her eyes from doing so.

She opens her eyes, and finds Emma exactly as she was. This time she doesn't want to hold back. She looks at the blonde, and slips a hand inside her silk panties, and fiddles with her bundle of nerves. She looks at Emma, and wills the hallucination to spread her legs like she did before; and she does. Regina watches Emma intently, as her fingers tease her entrance. Her other hand slips under her bra, and she pinches a nipple. She thinks she hears the blonde utter her name, so she calls back, "Emma...Emma..." Her voice is incapable of anything more than hoarse whisper. But she continues anyway, "Emma..." She lets a finger dip inside, slowly going all the way in. She repeats the motion, and her voice hitches, but she never stops, "Emma.." She keeps calling to the blonde that she's seeing in front of her, but the blonde doesn't move an inch. Instead she sits there, legs spread apart, head thrown back, and she breathing heavily. Regina moans at the sight, and drives another finger inside, going slow at first, but picks up the pace as she watches Emma near the edge. She watches as the blonde shudders in front of her, and Regina comes undone on the spot. She throws her head back, and lets out a silent cry that soon turns into Emma's name. Over and over again, she calls her name. When she's finally calmed down, the brunette doesn't dare to look at Emma. She knows what she won't find, and that sets her heart on fire. She gets up, and readjusts her bra and panties, and heads inside all wrapped up in a robe.

"Mama Bear!" A small boy jumps on Regina, spreading himself all over her body, and hugging her completely.

"Hey there, Baby bear!" Regina hugs him back slightly, before pulling back. She doesn't want to make him wet. "Go get ready for bed, honey." She playfully gives him a smack on his butt.

"M'kay, Mrs Mills." The little boy gives a small smile, before storming out the room.

"Hello Penny." She recognizes her 'friend's' presence.

"Hello, Regina." Penny is sitting on the couch, busily grading some papers, "did you have a nice break?" Penny asks.

Regina nods, "I did." She continues with her lying, "there must be something in the water. It felt great."

Penny looks up from her papers, "would you like some dinner?"

Regina shakes her head, "no, thank you, dear. I'm alright."

Penny's eyes linger on the brunette a bit longer, before she begins, "my son just called you Mama, regina." She smiles at Regina, before going back to grading.

_Actually he's been calling me that for the past 6 months or so, Penny. It started around the first week we got married._


	5. Chapter 5

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**5**

She took the envelop, and with a last lingering kiss, she left the brunette where she belonged. She walked slowly, and elegantly away from her client, and headed to the reception area. She moved right past the reception area, and into the waiting area near the entrance of the hotel. She got there, moved right past it, and into the streets she ventured. She walked on the sidewalk, and on the busy grey streets. She bumped into people, and people bumped into her. She fell, and she bled. She got up, and she continued walking. Did she know where she was going? Not likely.

A man stopped her on her tracks, and offered her a ride. She got inside his car, and he locked the doors. He asked her where she was going, she said she didn't know. He asked her what her name is, she said she didn't know. He asked her where her home is, she said she didn't know. He asked her if there was anyone she could call, she said that she didn't know. He asked her if she had any illnesses, she said she didn't know. He asked her if she know how to speak English, she said she didn't know.

The man drove away, she stayed very still. The man took a left, and parked the car. He got out, she stayed inside the car. He came back and got inside the car, she was still the same. She felt a hand on her forehead, she didn't resist. She felt a cold surface against her cheeks, she didn't flinch. She heard metal clink, she didn't look. She felt plastic slip into her mouth, she didn't blink. She felt a hand on the back of her head, gently urging her forward, she didn't move.

"Miss, miss are you with me?" The man asked.

"Miss!" He shook her gently.

"Miss, tell me your name."

The man tried again, again, and again, but she wouldn't respond. He noticed the envelop she carried, "is that your address?" He reached for the envelop she clenched so dearly, and tried to take it from her.

"No!" She snapped at him, "this is mine." She looked at the man for the first time, her eyes shimmering with malice.

"Alright, miss. It's okay. I just need an address to take you to." She stared at him for what seemed like an hour. Her eyes widened as realization hit her, "police officer?" She questioned.

"Yes, ma'am."

"What happened?" She was panicking.

"Tell me what happened!"

"I was on patrol, and I saw you walking for hours, going in circles. You looked like you needed help." He handed her the soda, and directed the plastic straw to her mouth, "please drink you might be dehydrated."

_Hours?_

She looked around, and saw the sun was nearly down. The area wasn't familiar, and there was a sharp pain coming from her knee. She glanced down, and saw she was bleeding.

Noticing what the blonde was looking at, the officer explained. "Someone pushed you. I tried to get him, but he was too fast, and I didn't want to leave you on the streets."

"But I remember his face, if I ever see him again, I will arrest him. Don't worry." He gave her a smile.

"I...I..." Emma was suddenly regaining all consciousness, "I need to get to my car..." She looked at him, and gave him an apologetic smile. Her face was pale, and so was the rest of her body.

The man just smiled at her, "Where do you have it parked?"

She led the officer back to a parking lot near the hotel. He dropped her off near her car, a black Benz, and waited for her to get inside.

"Oh, shoot. I think I forgot my car keys inside the hotel. You can leave now officer." She gave him a smile. Her eyes unblinking.

"No, that's alright. I'll wait for you here. I need to make sure you'll be safe. There were some high school kids following you around earlier this afternoon."

"I assure you, Officer. I will be just fine." She gave him a gentle smile, a real one this time, and started for the hotel.

"Wait, miss." He got out of the vehicle, reached around the car, and stood in front of Emma, "please have my card. Call me if anything happens." He gave her the piece of paper, went back to his car, and left with a wave.

She glanced at the card:

**Boston Police Department**

**Detective Graham Woods**

**xxx-xxxx-xxxx**

She read the card once, twice, then threw it on the ground. She had a photographic memory, she didn't need the reminder. She moved past the Benz, and started walking on the opposite side of where she initially wandered off to.

About 6 blocks away, and she reached her destination. Her bug was parked outside an abandoned house. She opened the driver's door, and got in. The keys were inside the car, she didn't really need to take them with her, the car looked like it was about to explode, and it didn't really contain anything valuables aside from an old cell phone, and even that's not worth anything.

She stared at her reflection.

She stared at the envelop.

She stared at her dress.

She stared as time passed by, and only in the confines of her bug, and to the familiar smell, Emma finally allowed herself to break down.

"Oh God!" She started breathing heavily, her chest heaving in its rise and fall, "what have I done?" She snapped her head up, and looked at her reflection in the mirror again, "what have you done?" She asked herself.

"What have you done? What have you..." Her voice hitched, "I'm so pathetic!" She slammed her hands against the wheel, "pathetic**!**" She slammed it again, again, and again, each time the car would honk back in reply. Mocking her; tapping her on the shoulder.

Suddenly.

She remembered the envelop. She reached for it from the passenger's seat. She slowly tore it open, and looked inside. She found a piece of paper, and something else. She took out the piece of paper, and unfolded it. Her eyes widened with complete and utter shock, and she gasped, letting a soft, low sob escape her mouth. She rested her head against the wheel, her body shivering like she was buried in snow.

"Why did you, Regina...?" she started calling for her. Calling for the woman who had been her bedmate for the past night. "Regina I..I.." She started crying uncontrollably, and her voice abandoned her, "Re...Regi...Regina..." She wept, feeling the loneliness claw its way across her body.

_It hurts._

_It hurts __so__ much._

* * *

At some point, she had calmed herself down, unwillingly taking a long 3 hour nap. Evening had come with its dark night of bitterness. The harsh reality of being alone, only sunk in when she'd tried to be with someone, when she shared her time, soul and body. Opened up all the doors to her heart, and so willingly made herself vulnerable. She let her guard down, and for a moment in her life, she felt complete. Emma felt complete.

Yes, the harsh reality is that no matter how many days pass; no matter how many lovers she'll take from now on, she will never be able to erase her from her heart. She will never be able to erase her from her body. She is now marked as hers, forever. It is in the cruelty of the night that she realizes:

_I love her._

To the insane idea, Emma's eyes snapped open. She blinked trying to make sense of what she was thinking about. She fidgeted in her seat, and looked around. Her heart stopped, finding a pair of eyes glued to her car window.

"Geez!" She exclaimed.

"Hello to you, too, Emma."

"What the hell were you doing, Archie? You scared the living shit outta me!" She rubbed her temples.

"I was just making sure you were breathing, Emma. I know how much you like to drink." He shrugged.

"I'm not drunk...At least not yet." She motioned for Archie to step away so she could get out. She got out of her car, and stretched her legs and arms with a lazy yawn.

"What are you wearing? Had a date?" Archie's brows shot up, "you went on a date, didn't you?"

"I didn't. I was just at a party." She lied.

"What kind of party requires high heels, pretty dress, and make up that would have you interested in it?" He was confused. The Emma he knew preferred jeans, and tank tops.

She shook her head, "a one where Regina Mills exists."

"Regina who?"

She smirked at him, and shook her head a no. "That's my secret, Archie." She patted him on the shoulder, "now if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be." She gave him a small smile, and started walking away.

"Oh, come on. Tell me who it is."

"I'll tell you when you're 18!" She shouted.

"That's just one month away, Emma. Just tell me now." Archie shouted back, but Emma was out of hearing distance. He watched her take a left, and she was out of his sight. With a heavy sigh of his own, he headed towards his house across from the abandoned building, and went inside.

Emma watched as the redhead disappeared behind closed doors, and waited a minute or two before walking back to her car. She opened the door, and got inside. She allowed herself a moment of silence, before she dug inside a bag that was hidden in the back seat, and found her phone. She turned it on, and hit redial. The phone rang once, twice, before a young voice came on:

"Hello, this is Henry the 3rd. Who is this?"

"..."

"I repeat. This is Henry the 3rd. Who is this?"

"..."

"I command you to speak!"

"..."

"I said by the power of Henry the 3rd, you have to speak!"

"..."

"I'm a king you know. I can rule the world one day."

"..."

"Please?"

"..."

"...Mommy?"

She hung up instantly, and turned off her phone, feeling her hands shake uncontrollably. She breathed in and out, in and out, trying to calm herself down. Trying to stay in control of her fucked up emotions. A look in the mirror told her how much she needed to get her shit together. She brought the phone to her lips, and placed a lingering kiss atop the screen. "Henry..." She muttered. For Henry's sake. She'd do it for Henry's sake, she told herself.

* * *

At 5 a.m. Archie would always hear an engine roaring back to life, from right outside his window on the other side of the street. He had started hearing it a couple of weeks ago. Specifically since the blonde had came into his life, and that can only mean one thing; the blonde is living in her car, he deduced. So at exactly 4:50 a.m, he'd wake up, and look outside his window to watch the blonde get out of her car, stretch her body in a 5-minute exercise, and then get back inside and drive away.

Archie might act all innocent in front of Emma, but he knew all too well that Emma is indeed homeless. He was preceptive. She had been living in her car for weeks now, but refused to admit it to the redhead. She'd always park late at night, and drive away early in the morning.

Yes, he acted all innocent, and feigned ignorance, but he knew that all the times the blonde would tell him that she had to be somewhere, that it was his signal to leave so she wouldn't be forced to explain herself. Quite sad, really.

Homeless, and broke; the young teen knew Emma was still way out of his league, but that didn't stop him from developing an intense crush on the blonde. Perhaps it was more than just a crush, but the boy wouldn't admit that to himself. He knew, though. He knew that with the way his heat beats whenever he sees her, that it was more.

Archie was bones skinny, and overly weak. He wasn't anything resembling good looks, or anything close to it. He had red hair that was a darker shade of orange, which earned him a few bullies here and there. He was an average student, and his personality deemed him a weakling. But he had one good thing that is indeed very seldom to find these days; he was an amazing listener. Courtesy of being naturally preceptive.

* * *

Emma woke up at exactly 4:50 a.m the following day. She got out of her car, and stretched her arms, and legs with cracking sounds and yawns. She breathed in the smell of early morning, and exhaled the bitterness of the night. Once content, she got back inside, and drove away.

She reached her destination 15 minutes later. She parked next to a small, white trailer that looked at least 20 years old. The lights inside were off, but Emma knew better. She knew that Ruby would be awake, and she'd be either crying over her lack of wealthiness, or probably canoodling with some man, or woman. Ruby wasn't picky when it came to sex. She would go with anyone if they made her feel wanted; those damn insecurities of Ruby's.

She debated for a while, should she go in? Should she not? She hadn't seen the brunette in about 6 weeks or more. She knew Ruby wouldn't be as understanding as she wanted her to be. Emma didn't have much time to think, though. With a click of the door, Ruby got out of her trailer, and stood in front of Emma, motioning for her to come out of the car. The blonde stared at her friend for a minute trying to figure out her emotions, but came short. Ruby was emotionless at the time, so she reached for the door, and got out.

"Ruby."

"Emma."

"Tell me something, Emma." Ruby was a few feet away from the blonde, "where the hell have you been!?"

Emma was silent, she knew more was coming.

"I texted you about 400 times, just in the past 2 weeks." Her hands shot up, clenching her fists, she pounded on the blonde's chest softly, but firmly.

"I thought you were dead! I thought you were lying in your car, dead and rotten, God nows where...and then I thought of Henry..." Her hands pounded harder, "how can you put me through this, Emma? You're selfish, and arrogant!" Emma remained quiet, taking all of the brunette's attacks.

"I thought Henry was with you..." She clenched the top of Emma's red dress, and a small card fell from underneath the laces of her bra. Ruby noticed the card, and reached for it.

"What the hell is this, Emma...?" Ruby couldn't believe her eyes.

"Is this what you've been doing all these weeks?"

"Tell me what the hell did you do?" Ruby questioned, "because I know you were up to something. And the way you're dressing just confirms it all." She crossed her arms, "start speaking, Emma."

The blonde remained silent.

"Emma..."

"Emma!" Ruby's anger was elevating. "I thought Henry died! And now this bullshit!" She spat out, and jerked the blonde before pushing her away.

Emma stumbled onto the ground with a loud yelp. She remained on the ground, with her eyes closed.

A moment passed, and Emma finally spoke, "...I made that card to become a hooker. I needed money, and I wanted to get information the police clearly don't want to share, so I made that card..."

"Did you sleep with people for money?"

"No." She started fiddling with her hands, "yes..."

Ruby's large eyes widened, "what!?"

"I mean...I don't know. Maybe." Emma was still a bit confused, and she didn't know what to categorized what she had shared with the brunette as, "No. I didn't sleep with anyone for money, Rubes."

Ruby just nodded, letting out a sigh of relief. She knew the blonde wasn't one to tell lies, "you should just forget about your mom's murder case, Emma. It will only hurt you more."

"I want to..."

"..."

"..."

"You want to what, Emma?" Ruby's tone was filled with desperation, and sympathy for her friend.

"I want to pull myself together, and get a job. I want to go back to school, and meet her again."

"Who's her?" Emma had Ruby's full attention at that point, "you girlfriend?"

_I wish._

_She probably doesn't want to see me again._

Emma just shrugged, and avoided the brunette's question. Ruby made a mental note to question the blonde once she settled down. She was curious, but she wanted to know about Henry's whereabouts even more. She loved that kid like he was her own. "Okay." She nodded. "Then tell me where Henry is?"

"Henry..Henry's okay, Rubes. He's staying with some friends."

"You have no friends" Ruby reminded the blonde out of pure jealousy, "except for me and August, you have no friends Emma. And I already checked August's place."

Emma shook her head, "they're people I knew from my last job at the library. They love kids, but they can't have any of their own. The mom adopted a baby girl, and she's the same age as Henry. So I asked her for a favor." Emma finally looked up, "I couldn't leave him with you since I know you have work."

"What about your dad?"

Emma slowly got up, and dusted the dirt off her pretty, red dress. She locked eyes with the brunette, and gulped. She swallowed again, and again, but the lump kept on forming inside her throat. "Dad's gone, Rubes."

Ruby dropped her arms to her sides, and got closer to her friend, "what do you mean gone, Emma?" Her eyes watered, "Oh God..."

"Is he dead!?"

Emma reached out for her friend's right hand, and squeezed, "he's not dead. He doesn't recognize me still, and right before I left, he stopped recognizing Henry, too." She looked away, "they say the shock of mom's death got to his brain. He does as he's told. His mind stopped forming orders of his own, he's just a puppet now."

"I'm so..." Ruby reached for Emma's other hand, "I'm so sorry, Ems." And just like that, Emma's nickname was back. "I didn't know...I just wish...I wish you'd lean on me more." She started weeping at this point, "we're like sisters, Emma. I grew up with you. I knew you my whole life! We shared underwear, and bathed together." Her voice finally gave up on her, and she slumped against the blonde's chest.

"I'm sorry, Rubes. I really am." She hugged her friend, wrapping her arms tightly around her thinned body, and soothing her with a back rub.

_I really am sorry, Ruby. _

She left Ruby's after she slipped into something more comfortable, skinny blue jeans, and a black tank top. She took one final glance at the white, trailer that contained her sleeping friend, and made a promise to herself to be back after her visit with her father.

* * *

Emma reached the modest nursing home around noon. Just on time for visiting hours. She signed her name, and climbed the stairs to the 2nd floor where she knew her dad would be sitting in the dinning area, looking outside the window, probably. And just as she suspected, she found him there, all cuddled up on a red armchair. He looked quite peaceful with his eyes closed, and his arms crossed over his body like a small child pouting. She smiled warmly at the image of her father, but soon that smile was replaced with a pained expression that said so much more than all the other old men and woman could tell.

"Hello, Daddy." She pulled a chair, and sat on it backwards, resting her arms on the top rail, and her head atop her arms.

"I missed you so much, Daddy. You have no idea how much had happened in the past couple of weeks." She smiled at him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for you. I've been really busy..."

She sighed, and messaged her templates. "I got a call a couple of weeks ago, and the lawyer told me that the case is still ongoing, and the police won't tell me anything."

"Mom was framed, Daddy. I know it." She looked up at him, and saw him sleeping still.

"Someone slipped a note inside my car the other day…I didn't think anything of it, but.."

"They told me I should be at the Back Bay Hotel if I wanted to find who framed her.. they said I should wear a red dress, and wait at the bar, and who ever approached me would be the one who framed my mom. They said they were powerful, and wealthy...and that I shouldn't trust them..."

"And I know what kind of hotel the Back Bay is...so I..." A tear slid down her cheek, and she blinked the rest away.

"I thought why not make some cash, and I made a card..." She looked down in shame, "I'm sorry, daddy."

"I'm terribly sorry..."

"It's just..." She lost control and her voice hitched, allowing her tears to fall freely.

"It's been hard...no one would hire me..I didn't have a job...I couldn't support you or Henry...I still can't..." She whimpered as she continued, "...and you haven't been here for so long, daddy..."

_You're just...gone._

"I don't know what I was thinking." She tried to regain control over her emotions. She glanced at her dad, he was still sleeping.

She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, and continued with a genuine smile.

"But I met someone there." She smiled even more brightly. "Regina Mills."

She beamed with happiness, "she's a professor." She was proud.

"I think..." She looked around her, making sure no one was listening, "I think I'm in love with her."

She smiled at the memory of the beautiful brunette, "and I think if she knew who I really was, then she'd love me, too, daddy."

"I was at the bar, and this old man was disgustingly trying to..." She trailed, "that's when I met Regina...she approached me, and grabbed my arm, and dragged me. Oh, it was so romantic the way she-"

Emma stopped talking as the words of the anonymous tip played in her mind:

_Wear a red dress, and wait at the bar._

_Who ever approaches you, will be the one who framed your mom._

_Be careful, they are powerful, and wealthy._

_Don't trust them._

Her face colored a shade of pale. Her mind was going overrun, and her vision was getting blurry as she repeated the note inside her head again:

_Will be the one who framed your mom._

_Be careful, they are powerful, and wealthy._

_Don't trust them._

And again:

_They are powerful, and wealthy. Don't trust them._

And again:

_Don't trust them._


	6. Chapter 6

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**6**

It's been a little bit more than a month since Emma came back home; Ruby's home. She didn't ask her any more questions, even though Emma knew for sure that she wanted to, Ruby kept quiet. She never once mentioned her attempt at prostitution, or the fact that Emma is technically homeless. Maybe Ruby had always seen the trailer as hers and Emma's, but maybe she just decided to let her have what's left of her dignity.

Even though she knew the blonde was broke, and she knew no one wanted to hire her, Ruby kept encouraging her homeless friend that it'll only get better. That this is probably rock bottom, and that anything else that's coming surely will be all good. She assured her that someone out there will give her a chance if they knew the real Emma, and that's what she should be doing. The blonde should start acting like her old self more. The Emma that once shared her strength with the whole world.

The redhead was just the right amount of shoulder the blonde needed, if not more. Words of encouragement, nonjudgmental eyes, undying constant support. Even a pat on the shoulder from time to time, and Emma was on her feet again. It had been just a little over a month, but Emma had found a run-down apartment that sheltered her and her little brother turned-son; Henry. She managed to find a line of employment that didn't give a shit that her family was involved in a murder case; maybe even liked the fact that she had a mysterious past. And she even managed to save up a bit to throw Henry a surprise birthday party at the amusement park he loved so much.

* * *

"Where are we going, mommy?" Henry asked from the passenger's seat of Emma's bug. "Is it a sooplise?"

The blonde giggled. The kid was smart, and he spoke at a very young age, but when it came to some words, like 'surprise' he'd pronounce them wrong. "Yes, Henry. It is a sooplise. When we get there, mommy will show you something that you'll like." She looked at him, and wrinkled her nose.

Henry stared at his mommy, and nodded. "Are Mr and Mrs Boyd gonna be there?"

"Yes, Henry. They will be."

He nodded again, and looked out the window. "Is there gonna be cake?"

Emma narrowed her eyes, "maybe."

2 minutes passed, and Emma started, "so, how was school today?"

He looked at her, and smiled, "it was fine. Are Jackson, and Grace gonna be there?"

Emma kicked herself mentally for starting the conversation again. Her brother was going to find out about the surprise party, "...maybe?"

He nodded, and looked out the window again, "will I be really, very happy today?"

Emma smiled at her little brother's not-so-subtle interrogation, "yes, Henry. You will be really, very happy."

He smiled, and let out the cutest sigh Emma has ever heard, "I know this road leads to the place I like the most." He pointed to a gas station, "we always stopped at this gas spaceship before we went there."

_Spaceship?_

Emma couldn't help the giggle that escaped her lips. She focused on the road, smirked, and true to the child's words, she pulled beside the gas station, aka gas spaceship. She glanced at him, and cupped his rosy cheeks, "kid, do you know where we're going?"

"Maybe..." He giggled, "I don't know, maybe Henry the 3rd is gonna become Henry the 4th today." He broke into a fit of laughter.

She pulled him into a hug, "oh man, you are too smart for your own good, kid."

He immediately hugged back, and nuzzled his face against Emma's neck. They stayed there for a while, before Emma pulled back, "do you want some juice?" She asked.

He shook his head a no, "we can get some when we get to the amusement park."

"Who said we're going there?" Emma teased.

"We're not?" He panicked. "But I thought-"

Emma cut him in, and ruffled his hair, "we are." She smiled.

* * *

"Ruby, you made it." The blonde waved to the brunette, and gestured for her to sit next to her on the booth. Across from her, Ashley and her husband Sean were seated. The kids were off playing together, accompanied by August. He knew how to handle kids, that man. So he was always the designated baby-sitter.

They were seated in a restaurant inside the amusement park. From where they sat, they could easily keep an eye on the children, and August who got stuck being a nanny for the day, ever since he arrived at the park; not that he'd complain about it, he loved kids.

"So, Emma." Ashley began, "dating anyone?" She bluntly asked. It's better than gossip.

Emma shrugged, "no, not really." She immediately thought of Regina. "Though there is someone that I'm in love with. Deeply in love with at that."

Ruby's eyes widened, "what? who is it?"

"Anyone I know?" Ashley added.

"No, neither one of you know her." Emma gave a sad smile. There was no hiding it; the woman was completely and hopelessly in love with the brunette. After a month of not seeing the Regina, Emma was even more certain of it. She was in love. People don't remember one night stands as vividly, so it wasn't that. Plus, mind-blowing sex wasn't all that Emma missed, it was also the small tender moments they shared. It was the hours they spent talking, and getting to know each other. She knew what Regina was allergic of, what she did for a living, what her favorite color was, and she even knew all the 3 sizes of the brunette's body. She missed her, and everything around her reminded her of Regina; heck, air reminded her of Regina.

"Is it the one you mentioned before?" Ruby asked.

Emma nodded, "yes..." She whispered.

Ashley just glanced at the both of them, before looking at her husband, "honey, would you like a refill of that ice tea?"

"Yes, darling." Sean answered, "thank you."

Ashley smirked, "then go get it, honey." She wanted him gone so she could drill the blonde, but he wouldn't go. Plus she'd rather die than act like some maid. Her stepmother already treats her like one, and she wouldn't take it from her husband.

Sean looked at her, "never mind then, darling." He'd gotten used to his wife's antics, this was nothing.

Emma and Ruby kept quiet.

Ashley tried again, "oh look how cute the kids are, why don't you go take some pictures, honey?"

Sean smiled at her, and took out his phone, and tapped a txt. In a few seconds, August looked at everyone, gave the thumbs up before he started taking random pictures of the kids.

Ashley bit her bottom lip, and sighed, "honey.." she began again, averting her eyes from her husband, "you really should leave us be for a while..." She warned.

_But I want to hear about Emma's lesbian lover, too. There's nothing more interesting than that._

"I shouldn't. You need your man beside you, sweetheart." He nodded.

"Very well." She smiled, "Emma, did I tell you?" She addressed the other blonde.

Emma's eyes locked with Ashley's, "no, what?"

"I got my period today. Blood was gushing like the waterfall of-" She stopped talking as her husband abruptly got up, and rushed out of the restaurant.

_Mission. Accomplished._

Emma, Ruby, and Ashley giggled amongst themselves, before Ashley began, "so, Emma, tell us what happened."

"Yes, tell us what happened, Emma." After a whole month of asking nothing, Ruby was growing impatient.

"Well, there's nothing really to tell. I met her while I was on...lets say 'work' and we hit it off right away." She smiled warmly, and played with her straw.

Ruby knew there was more to it than 'work', but she didn't comment. "And?"

"And I fell for her..." Emma trailed, "I fell for her, and it hurts everyday that I don't see her. Every time I wake up, and she's not beside me. Every time I eat, drink, walk or talk, and she's not near me, I feel like I'm dying a little each time.."

"Than why aren't you pursuing her, Emma?" Ashley gave a sad smile.

"Because she's somewhere where I can't reach her. She's a queen, and I'm a servant. She's on a whole other level, I can't-"

"Yes you can, Em." Ruby reassured her friend.

"Why do you say that? Does she not feel the same way you do?" Ashley asked, "do you think it's one sided?"

"NO!" Emma found herself being defensive, "I'm sure that she feels the same way."_ I think. _

"How do you know?" Ruby asked.

"That's not important, she should go for it, Ruby." Ashley answered.

"Yes, but I want to know how she knows. What if she's just tricking Emma?" The brunette insisted.

"Is she?" Ashley turned to Emma, and asked.

_Trick me into what? What exactly do I have that she'll gain from tricking me?_

"She's not tricking me, and it's not one sided." Emma nodded, and started fishing in her leather jacket pocket, "this..." Emma placed a golden key on the table.

"What is this?" Ruby asked.

"It's the key to her house, she gave it to me." Emma gave a sad smile.

_She gave me a way back to her._

* * *

"It's been 5 months already, Em. Don't you think it's time you contacted your mystery woman?" Ruby asked.

"I don't know...I still think I should wait till I get a better place." Emma answered as they walked down the street to get to Ashley's place.

"I mean what if she starts dating someone else, Em? What happens then?" Ruby nudged the blonde, "I've seen it happen before. It sucks balls, trust me."

"Nice image, Rubes." Emma rolled her eyes, "and I know what you mean. But I still think I should move to a nicer place, and get back to school before I even think about going anywhere near her. She's like a-"

"-Queen. Yes, I know." Ruby finished for the blonde, "but even queens get lonely, so you should put an accelerator on that life of yours, and get your act together. No one is gonna wait forever, not even for the infamous Emma Swan."

"I sense a grudge here, Rubes." She nudged her friend, "is there something you want to tell me?"

Ruby snorted, "I don't have to say anything, you already know." She looked at Emma, and smirked, "now txt Ash, tell her to let us in." They had reached the building where Ashley lives.

Emma had no clue, but her friends had had about enough of her babbling about the brunette, and not doing a single thing about it. So they decided to lure her into Ashley's house, and have her babysit the kids; Henry and Ashley's daughter, Grace. Then Ruby would pickpocket the key out of the blonde's leather jacket, which she always has on, and she'd give it to Ashley as they left for their fake dinner date. Ruby would then excuse herself, because of work. Then August would drive Ruby, Ashley, and Sean to Regina's house, and they'd tell her all about the things the blonde is working so hard to achieve for her sake.

Emma made sure not to mention Regina's name to any of her friends, she didn't want them snooping around the brunette. She knew at least Ruby would be googling her, and/or contacting the professor just to get Emma to shut up about the woman. So she referred to her as Professor, or She. However, it was fairly easy for anyone to obtain her real name. Emma made it easy; she'd get drunk and start talking about Regina, and she'd show them a picture of her on the web; a picture of her current home as well. Easy.

"Let me take your jacket." Sean slid the jacket off of the oblivious blonde, and handed her a glass of wine, "here you go."

"What? Why wine? It's 10 a.m. And I'm babysitting..." Emma was baffled, "why's everyone being nice to me?"

"Because you'll be stuck with the kids, while my husband will be getting lucky." Ashley was not shy about her sex life, "plus you should see what I'm wearing right under-"

"-Okay, I get it."

"And here's the emergency contact number, and there you'll find the emergency cash, just in case you want pizza or something." Ashley handed Emma a piece of paper, and gestured to a cookie jar.

"Hello! Emergency! I need pizza! I need pizza dammit! I can't..I can't breathe!" Emma mocked, as she held a thumb to her ear, and a pinky to her mouth.

"Ha-ha, very funny. I just know that you don't cook if it's to save your life, and plus we don't have any junk food laying around, so it's probably gonna be an emergency if you get hungry." Ashley nodded, "now give me a kiss goodbye, and we'll be on our way."

Emma hugged the other blonde, Ruby, and Sean, and they left her alone to tend to the kids.

* * *

"Did you get it?" Ashley asked once they got inside the car.

"Yes, this one right?" Ruby turned from the passenger's seat, and showed the blonde as August drove away.

"Yes, that's the one. Lets just hope she's home." The blonde nodded, with a loud sigh.

"So what was her name again?" Sean asked.

"Regina Mills, 30 years old, though almost 31 now." Ruby had made her research, "she lives in 108 M street, drives a benz, and is practically a millionaire."

"Wow..How much money does she have?" Sean asked.

"Millionaire, honey. So Millions." Ashley mocked her husband, "honestly, you make it too easy for me."

Ruby giggled, "go easy on him, Ash. He's a pushover. Pushovers don't have much of a personality."

"Hey! I thought you were defending me!" Sean was annoyed, but joined in on the laughter.

A couple of minutes passed in silence, "So.." August began, "I'm still against the idea, by the way, but is there anything else we need to know?" August asked, they were almost there.

"Nope, that's all." Ruby sighed, "you're sure you know the way?"

"Yeah, I know the place. It's hard not to." August answered.

"What do you mean?" Ashley asked.

August nodded, "that's the one."

"Shut the front door!" Ashley, and Sean said in sync.

"That's not a house, that's a mansion." Ruby was just as shocked.

"Poor Emma, no wonder she didn't want to contact her yet." Ashley said, as she got out of the car. "Come on, lets go."

They stood there in front of the door, minus August who chose to stay in the car. Ashley held the key, debating wether or not to go through with this foolish idea or not. Sean was standing next to her right, and Ruby to her left; both of them were just as nervous. They really didn't think this through. What if their plan backfired, and they pissed off the blonde?

"She gave her the key because she wanted her to come and find her." Ruby nodded.

"Yeah, but she wanted Emma, not Emma's friends, minus Emma." Ashley was panicking, "here" she shoved the key Ruby's way, "you do it."

"What? Why me? I don't want Emma to hate me." Ruby shoved the key Sean's way, "you do it, Sean."

Sean, being the good person that he is, and not because Ash gave him a death stare that said do-it-now-or-suffer-later, shoved the key into the lock, and unlocked it. He turned the handle, and the door creaked wide open.

"Hello?" Ruby whispered, "anybody home?" She took a step inside, "we're here on behalf of Emma."

"Hello?" Ashley whispered, "Regina Mills?"

Sean just stayed out of it, and slowly retreated to the car and waited along with August.

* * *

It had been 15 minutes later when August and Sean saw both women practically run outside the house, and lock the door behind them. They were walking down the pathway to the gate when they were stopped by a beautiful redhead, and a little boy. They were lucky, the redhead hadn't actually seen them break in into her house, leave the house, or even lock it behind them.

"Hello, can I help you?" The redhead asked.

"Mommy, do you know these guys?" The little boy added.

"No, honey." She extended her hand to Ruby, who was the closest, "I'm Penny." She introduced herself, "are you guys from the university? You must be here to sign up for the extra tutoring program." She smiled.

"Um..uh, actually no. We're here to see Regina Mills." Ashley added, as she extended her hand to shake the redhead.

"Oh, Regina's not here at the moment. She'll be back later this evening." She smiled, "would you like to leave a message?"

Ruby smiled, and whispered into Ashley's ear, "you see, she might be just her roommate."

Ashley smiled a toothy smile, and continued, "you must be her roommate?"

The redhead smiled, and rubbed her neck, "that's one way to put it..." she trailed, a blush forming around her cheeks.

"But mommy you said that Mrs Mills is your wife." The little boy inquired in confusion, "what does a roommate mean?"

Penny ruffled his hair, and told him to go wait by the door. The little boy huffed, and sighed before doing what his mother asked of him. "Fine!"

Penny looked at the 2 shocked women, and confirmed again. "Professor Regina Mills is indeed my wife." She nodded.

Ashley looked like she was about to pass out, and Ruby was about to punch the woman, if they weren't stopped by a honking that came from August's car. Ashley tugged the brunette closer, "I see. Well then, enjoy the rest of your day." She quickly muttered, and bolted towards August's car.

* * *

"What happened? You guys looked like you were about to start a fight." August asked as he drove away, "who was that?"

"Penny." Ruby answered, "Penny fucking Mills."

"Literally!" Ashley added.

"What?" Sean was confused, he was always slow in the head, "her sister then?"

"Her WIFE, Sean. Her wife." Ruby yelled from the passenger's seat.

"She's married?" August channelled a glance toward Ruby before focusing on the road again, "for how long? Maybe she got married after she and Emma met, and parted ways."

"I don't think so, we saw pictures of the couples all over the house." Ashley said in a defeated voice.

"Plus I think that was their kid." Ruby added, "shame, he looks about the same age as Henry."

"What are we going to do?" Sean asked, "do we tell her?"

"No!" Ruby shook her head, "we keep it a secret. We let her work her way out of this depression she fell into. She's been doing so well..." She trailed, feeling a lump form inside her throat, "telling her this would push her back into the darkness, and I don't want to lose my friend over some whore that clearly tricked her."

"But she needs to know, Rubes. She deserves to know that she's been lied to." Ashley reasoned, "wouldn't you want to know if it were you in Emma's shoes?"

Ruby fell silent, unable to answer Ashley's question. Of course she would want to know, but Ruby wasn't the type to get depressed with life. Ruby always managed to see the positives despite the negatives around her.

A moment passed, "actually I think Ruby's right for once."August spoke up, "we can't let her know. It'll break her, and she doesn't need this right now."

"What? So we don't say anything?" Ashley asked.

"We don't say anything." August nodded.

"I agree." Ruby added.

Sean just slipped his hand over his wife's, and held her in reassurance. She looked up at him, and smiled sadly. "It's gonna be okay" He whispered, and motioned for her to lean on his shoulder.

* * *

"Grace that's not fair!" Henry yelled at his friend, "you cheated!"

"I didn't cheat." She threw away the cards, and stood up. The little girl rushed toward the babysitter, who was seated on a chair, and hugged Emma's leg, "Emma tell him I didn't cheat. I didn't..."

Emma ruffled the little girl's hair, "it's okay, Grace. Just ignore him. He doesn't like to lose." She whispered.

Grace giggled, and hugged Emma from behind. "What are you doing, Emma?" she asked.

"Hmm?" Emma's mind was preoccupied with the computer's screen. She looked over her shoulder, finally noticing the little girl's hand tugging at her shoulder, "Oh..I'm just signing up for classes at my school."

"School?" Henry asked as he rushed to his sister, "are you gonna go to school, Mommy?"

The blonde looked up at the 2 intrigued kids, "I am." She answered with a grin.

"Oh! Oh! Can I go to the same school? Can I? Can I?" Henry whined.

Grace being a child, too, whined in response, "I want to go to the same school too!"

"No, Grace. You stay away." Henry knitted his eyebrows, "she's MY mom!"

"But I like her, too..." Grace cried, "I..I..want to go to the same school as you Emma..."

Emma payed no attention to the 2 young kids bickering, whatsoever. No, she was busy drooling over a picture of professor Regina Mills, the head of the psychology department at Boston Gate, where she'll be attending in less than 2 months. She clicked on Regina's class, and saw that it was full. That made Emma cringe, but just for a while, for she was never one to give up easily. She clicked on the names of the people attending the class, and memorized the names. She had a photographic memory, she didn't need to write them down.

Surely one of these students would give up his or her seat for her, she thought. After all, she was a master negotiator, and a damn brilliant bounty hunter, as well.


	7. Chapter 7

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

7

"Oh, come on. From one Emma to another, give me your seat?" The blonde pleaded through the phone. "I know you said that you gave it away to someone else already, but wouldn't it be better to replace one Emma with another?"

"Alright, maybe it wouldn't, but don't you think there's a little bit of destiny here? You'd be helping me reunite with my long lost love."

"Oh, you don't believe in destiny?" Emma rolled her eyes.

_Neither do I, Emma. Neither do I._

"Maybe I can offer you a gift of the greenish kind then?"

"I don't know, one grand?"

"Someone payed you 10K? Wow..." Emma rubbed her templates, this wasn't getting her anywhere. She'd have to find someone else.

"I can't blame you, I'd take the 10K myself if I were you. Well, thanks for absolutely nothing, and enjoy your marriage." She hung up, and slumped further down on her driver's seat. "Lets see... Miss Dominique Bradly, hope you're not a bitch like the other Emma." With a sigh, she pushed the numbers and hit call.

"Hello, this is Dominique-"

"Hi! this is Emma Swan-"

"-I'm currently unavailable, please leave a message." Emma pushed the end-call button, and threw her phone on the passenger's seat.

"OUCH! What the hell Emma?" Archie exclaimed in pain, "what was that for?"

_Holy shit! I forgot he was here!_

"Oh, Archie. I'm sorry, just got a little carried away." She smiled apologetically. "Where were we going again?"

"The science fair, you said you'd drive me there, remember?" Archie was looking forward to it all week. In his head, and only in his head, it even got categorized as a date. But judging from the blonde's absent mind, Archie shrunk back into his shell, and prayed to all Gods that she doesn't comment on his attire. He was wearing a charcoal suit, and very expensive chestnut brown shoes that he had purchased just for the occasion.

"Yeah, change of plans, Archie. We're gonna have to go hunting for someone before I drive you there?"

"Someone like for your job?" He held the door handle, and started twisting. He was not about to go on a journey with Miss Emma Swan, while she hunts for criminals.

_No way. No._

"Ohhh, no. It's not like that. It's just a woman that I want to have a little chat with."

"They say that when they bring you to the police station..." Archie narrowed his eyes, "who are you really after?"

"No, really. I just want to have a chat with her. That's all." She smiled at him, "but you can leave if you don't want to come with me. I can call August, and he'll take you to the fair."

_August? Why on earth would I want to go with August?_

"No it's fine. I can go with you."

Emma nodded, and drove off.

* * *

"Fine, you can have it. But this is not official, so you have to talk to Professor Regina, she still has to approve your enroll."

"Thank you! Thank you so much! You have no idea how much I'm grateful." Emma beamed with happiness, "is there anything I can do for you?" Emma felt like she needed to ask.

"Nothing really, just..." Dominique trailed, "be careful not to fall for her, she'll break your heart." The brunette knitted her brows, and sighed.

"Are you in love with her?" Emma had to ask.

"Yes. Yes, I am. But isn't everyone?" She locked eyes with the blonde, "but after Professor Kim, I just don't feel like I have it in me to sit in her class, and pretend that my heart isn't broken." She continued, "you know everyone has a crush on her, but not me. I just had to fall for her. I had to go there...and she was such a bitch to me."

_Really? Regina Mills did that? My Regina Mills?_

Emma frowned, "who's Professor Kim?"

"Emma, we need to go. Now!" Archie came back panting, "there's a police officer, and he's gonna give you a ticket if you don't move your car right now!"

Emma turned to Dominique, and thanked her before leaving with Archie. "Did you stall him, Arch?"

"Yeah, he told me to go get you, and that I have 2 minutes to do so."

"Officer, please don't-" Emma's eyes widened, "hey!" She smiled a toothy smile, and hugged the officer.

"Hi, I remember you. You're the beautiful lady from a few months back." Officer Graham said as he accepted the hug from the blonde, "good to see the color back to your face."

"I didn't have the chance to thank you, Officer." She said as she pulled back. She smiled warmly, "thank you, Officer Graham. You really saved me back then."

"Don't mention it, mate. I was happy to help."

"Hello. Hi. Hi, I'm Archie, and you are?" Archie was pissed, and it wasn't in his intention to sound so aggressive, but he did.

"Officer Graham Woods, at your service."

"Oh, so you're a stripper or something?" Archie shot back, "here to hit on Emma? Sorry, she doesn't go for-"

"Archie!" Emma yelled, "go wait in the car!"

"Emma, he was trying to-"

"Now!"

"Fine!" Archie immediately regretted his actions. Now she just thinks of him as a chid, if she wasn't already thinking it.

"I'm really sorry about him, he's a bit weird." Emma felt responsible for the young boy's actions. Didn't know why, but she figured this is what it felt like to have a younger sibling.

"It's fine. He's just jealous that his beloved crush is speaking with another man."

Emma giggled, "what? no. Archie doesn't have a crush on me. And he's not a man, he's a boy."

Graham smiled, and motioned to the young man sitting in the car, "just look at what he's wearing."

Emma glanced at Archie before reasoning, "no, I was just gonna drive him to a science fair at his school."

_How adorably oblivious._

Graham smiled, "in a suit?"

"Yeah, I mean kids go to science fairs in a suit, don't they?" Emma knitted her eyebrows, and her mouth fell open, "no...no, they don't." She whispered.

Graham giggled, "well, it was really nice seeing you again, Emma. Mind if I say, you have a lovely name." He smiled at her, and continued, "you are off with a warning, next time I'll throw you in jail." He playfully threatened before waving goodbye and reminding the blonde to not park at the handicap zone.

* * *

**3 Days Later**

"Alright! show time." Emma said as she did a couple of neck, and shoulder exercises.

"Show time for what?" Ruby asked, as she yawned all the way to the kitchen. There were at the blonde's apartment. Ruby had been staying there ever since the blonde moved to a bigger, and more expensive place. Emma invited her to stay, for all the times the brunette saved her ass from homelessness.

"No, nothing much. I'm going to college." Emma said in a low tone, trying to sound unaffected.

"What!?" It had been the first time Ruby heard of this, "when? how? and where?"

"Boston Gate, applied 2 months ago, studying psychology, and my first class starts now." Emma finished with a grin.

Ruby stared at her friend, and shook her head, "I am so fucking happy for you, I won't even comment on how you hid this from me, and didn't tell me anything even though I'm your best friend."

_You just made a comment, though._

"I was just trying to make sure that I get in before I go babbling about it to others." Emma shrugged, and looked at the brunette, "there's more..." She trailed, and bit her lower lip.

"What?" Ruby was curious.

"I'm finally going to meet her after 7 long months." Emma moved closer to the brunette, and held her friend's forearms, "Regina Mills, the woman of my dreams."

Ruby couldn't hide her shock. The blonde had stopped talking about her for 2 months now, and Ruby, August, Ashley and her husband stopped bugging her about the mystery woman. They figured she'd given up, or maybe she found someone new, but definitely not because she was conjuring up a plan to meet the married brunette again.

"Emma..." She trailed, not knowing what to say.

"Oh look at that, I've rendered you speechless. It's okay, I know you're happy for me." She smiled, and hugged her friend.

She pulled back after not receiving a hug back, "what's wrong?" She asked.

After a few moments, Ruby shook her head, "nothing, I'm just gonna miss you around here."

Emma smiled, "I'm just taking 2 classes, I won't be long." She glanced at her clock, "shoot, I really have to go." She called for Henry who had been taking a nap on the couch, fully dressed in his kindergarden uniform. Blue short shorts, and a white shirt with a red bow tie.

* * *

"Yes, Emma Swan. I couldn't attend the first day because my enrollment wasn't finalized, but now it is." She smiled at the manager.

"You are very lucky that your name is Emma." The manager informed the blonde, "if it weren't for your name, you'd still be on the waiting list."

"Why would it matter if my name's Emma?"

"Because professor Regina had been accepting all Emmas, without any problems."

Emma smiled to herself.

_Could it be it's because of me that Regina had been doing this._

"Do you know where the lecture room is located?"

Emma shook her head a no.

"What about you, miss Fa?"

A slim Chinese woman snapped her head to the aged manager, "I do." She answered.

"Good. Now take Miss Swan along, you two are already late." She gave them two a final nod, before calling for the next troubled student.

Emma eyed the Chinese woman, "you're the other person that payed Emma 10k, aren't you?"

The woman smirked, "I am." She extended her hand, "I'm Mulan."

Emma shook her head, and smiled in wonder. Some people pay thousands like it's hundreds. "I'm Emma Swan." She smirked at the other woman's reaction. "Yeah, another Emma."

They walked each other to the lecture hall, and exchanged a few small talk. It had been nice knowing Emma wouldn't be walking in a room filled with students, and having to face the embarrassment of being late all alone. At least now she had Mulan.

Needless to say, as soon as they took the final left leading to the lecture room, Emma's heart nearly stopped. This was it. This was the moment she had been waiting for, for so long. All the days she spent up at night, just thinking about the brunette. All the times she got sick, and yearned for a body to lay next to her. All the times she went to work, and had to eat lunch all alone. This was it. She was finally going to meet the woman of her dreams.

She took a deep breath, and held her right hand to her heart, and pressed.

_This is it, Emma. You have to get the girl._

"Are you okay?" Mulan asked.

Emma nodded, "just need a minute." She pressed her forehead to the wall, and prayed that the brunette doesn't find it in her to reject her. That she doesn't dismiss her like she was no one. She prayed that everything goes well, and that the brunette would at least show the least bit of interest in her.

"Okay, lets go in." Emma motioned for Mulan to go in first.

* * *

The door made a squeaking noise, and everyone turned their heads towards the two late comers. Regina had her back to the door, and was writing on the board. Emma instantly eyed the brunette, and her breath got caught in her lungs at the sight. The brunette was wearing a charcoal pencil skirt, lavender silk shirt tucked under, and knee length black boots. Her hair was shorter, and gathered up in a ponytail.

"Who ever it is, please turn around and leave. If you are not eager enough to be on time, I have no room for you in my class." Regina said, without so much as stopping her hand from writing.

"Professor Regina, we were just enrolled instead of the two girls that dropped this class." Mulan spoke up. "My name's Mulan, and this is-"

Emma tugged at her new friend's shoulder, making her stop. Mulan looked at her friend, baffled, but continued speaking, "please allow us to attend, we are very eager."

"Miss Mulan Fa? The holder of the previous Student Trophy?" Regina finally turned around, and focused on the Chinese woman. "You may stay, but your friend will leave." Regina didn't notice Emma, the blonde was hiding behind Mulan, and went back to writing on the board.

After a moment of utter silence, sans the marker pen against the white board. "Emma Swan, here. How can I persuade you to reconsider, professor?" Emma finally found her voice, and stepped from behind the slim woman.

_Hello, Regina. I missed you so much._

Regina's eyes widened with shock, as she turned to face the class. She was not expecting to see Emma at all. She adjusted her glasses, and shifted her weight on the other leg. Regina was not able to find the words to express how she felt, how this was one of the most altering moments in her life, instead she nodded, "please take your seats..both of you." She then turned around, and continued writing.

Emma and Mulan took their seats at the back. Everyone's eyes were on them, and it felt kind of weird. They felt on display, well, at least Mulan felt on display, Emma was busy licking her lips and swallowing so very often.

It wasn't long till the clock struck 11 a.m, signaling the end of the class. "Class dismissed" Regina declared, "you can leave now..." She turned back around, and started erasing her notes on the board.

"You coming, Emma?" Mulan asked as she rose from her seat.

"No, I think I need to apologize to professor Regina." Emma lied. Well, it wasn't really a lie, but that wasn't why she was staying.

Mulan nodded, before storming off. Right behind her was Stevie, and everyone else, leaving the brunette alone with the blonde.

Emma bit hard on her lower lip, and eyed the brunette. She still had her back to Emma, pretending like she didn't see her. Emma couldn't take it anymore, and rose from her seat. She slowly stalked towards the smoking-hot brunette, making sure her short heels were making a sound on the marble floor. Emma was wearing tight, black jeans, white tank top, and her signature red leather jacket.

She reached the brunette, and stood a few inches behind her. She let out a low sigh, and breathed hotly against the older woman's neck. "Regina..." She whispered. The brunette didn't move a muscle, "Professor..." Emma tried again, also a whisper, but a needy one. She inched closer, her breasts touching Regina's back, and tried again, "Professor Regina..."

Regina turned around, grabbed the younger woman's forearms, and pinned her against the white board. She pressed her body flush against the blonde, and brushed their lips together. "Miss Swan, how can I help you." She whispered hotly. Her voice low, husky, and a sin in itself.

Emma glanced up at the older woman from under her lashes, and let out a low moan, "you can kiss me-" She didn't finish, and the brunette's lips were on hers, engaging in a bruising kiss. Emma's hands shot up, and she cupped Regina's face, bringing the woman impossibly closer.

After a moment, Regina licked Emma's lower lip, asking for permission. Emma relented immediately, much like the first time Regina had kissed her.

They kissed, and their hands wandered. It was mind blowing, and it seemed like they wouldn't stop; they couldn't stop. But everything halted to the sound of a squeaking coming from the door. Regina pulled back, and her head snapped to see who it was. Emma's eyes snapped shut, and she wished she was invisible.

_I really don't want to be kicked out on my first day in school._

* * *

She didn't see it coming. It was the second day in school, and she just wanted to do her part, and go home. She was thinking about what she'd have for dinner that evening. Perhaps Italian, she thought. Or if the Italian restaurant near her house was crowded, maybe Chinese take-out. It was always the easer choice. Plus they already know her there, they know her usual order, and her wife's.

"Write this part, memorize it, analyze it, and we'll discuss it next week." Regina said as she turned to the white board, and started writing.

After dinner she'd call Stevie, and ask him about his research. Maybe he'd finally have something for her. Steve Gaylord, he was an unexpected friend that proved to be an acceptable addition to her set of friends. Maybe a little more than acceptable, Regina corrected. No one knew this, but Sir Gaylord was a sucker for submissiveness, and just so it happened, Regina very much liked to practice dominance. That weird person, Stevie. The skulls buried in his closet could be summed up in; abuse me once, shame on you. Abuse me twice, lets have sex.

"This part here is the explanation to pages 12-30. We'll have a debate about it." She explained what she was writing.

Honestly, Regina's multitasking was top notch. She was writing, speaking, and thinking, all the while trying her hardest not to think of the blonde. Multitasking, and keeping herself busy with constant mental and physical activities, was the only thing that kept her from thinking about Emma. Except even that didn't work. But she kept trying anyway.

Her train of thoughts was interrupted by a squeaking coming from the door behind her. "Whoever it is, please turn around and leave. If you aren't eager enough to be on time, I have no room for you in my class." She said.

_I need to get some cereal, and milk on the way home. We're all out of veggies, too._

"Professor Regina, we were just enrolled instead of the two girls that dropped this class. My name's Mulan, and this is-" A girl spoke.

_Maybe I should call Penny, and ask her if she needs any groceries._

"Please allow us to attend, we are very eager." She spoke again.

_I bet the little bear would appreciate some pudding._

_Was it chocolate pudding, or vanilla?_

_Wait, did she just say Mulan?_

"Miss Mulan Fa? The holder of the previous Student Trophy?" Regina asked, as she continued writing on the board. When she finished the last E on the board, she turned to face the girl, with a smirk on her face.

Seeing two late comers, and not one, she adjusted her glasses. "You can stay, but your friend will leave." She didn't appreciate negligence, and lack of enthusiasm. If she was going to teach, she was going to teach someone who appreciated the opportunity, and the honer of being in her class.

"Emma Swan, here. How can I persuade you to reconsider, professor?" The other girl spoke up, after a very long pause.

Turning around, Regina saw the blonde stepping into view, and that was it. Her mind instantly went blank. Was this really her? Was she really seeing the woman she'd yearned for, for so long? She'd imagined her before, but this Emma wasn't like all the other Emmas she'd seen in her hallucinations of the younger woman. This one spoke. This one was very much real, she deduced. Besides, all the other times she'd seen the blonde, it was a hallucination extracted from a memory she'd experienced with the blonde. This time was different.

Everything that followed was a blur. She knew she was in class, and was writing something on the board. If the writings didn't make sense, she didn't notice. Regina was on autopilot. She was there, but at the same time she wasn't. Her body was moving by force of habit, she certainly wasn't giving it any orders.

Time went by in a wink, suddenly everyone was gone, all the students, and the chatter was gone. The clock struck 11 a.m., and she was erasing the board. Anything that happened in between the blonde's appearance, and the clock signaling the end of class, was nothing but void. She felt a breath on her back, someone was there. Who was it, she didn't know. She didn't remember. Then she felt someone calling for her, again and again. After a beat or two, she turned to see who it was.

Emma...

On reflex, she grabbed the younger woman with much needed force, and pinned her to the wall. Her lips found the blonde's, and she brushed over them. With that action, her common sense returned to her in an instant, as if Emma was some sort insanity medicine. "Miss Swan, what can I do for you?" She asked, hiding the tremor as much as she could.

"You can kiss me-" She heard, and did exactly that. She kissed the blonde.

The kiss was everything she ever wanted, and yearned for, for 7 whole months. Emma tasted the same, if not better. Her lips were just as soft, if not softer. Her body was even warmer. So she kissed her, and she felt the blonde kiss her back, with the same amount of passion, with the same amount of need. Their hands wandered, and they pressed against each other even more.

Suddenly, she heard the door opening, and pulled back. She looked over her shoulders, and Stevie stood there.

"Regina," he started, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but Professor Kim is on her way here."

_Stevie?_

_Professor Kim?_

_On her way here?_

_So? _

Regina stared at him for a minute, before nodding. She snapped her head back to the blonde, and saw her opening her eyes. The brunette locked eyes with the blonde, and she nodded once, before grabbing the younger woman by the wrist and dragging her to the door.

"Regina," Stevie warned. "Regina, you can't do that."

She didn't listen, Regina kept on walking, and she left the class with the younger woman in hand. There weren't any students outside the room, fortunately, but if there were, Regina wouldn't have noticed. Nothing mattered to her, she just wanted to be left alone at the moment.

The younger woman allowed the brunette to drag her, with no resistance whatsoever. She allowed the older woman to drag her all the way to the staff elevator. She allowed her professor to drag her all the way to her office, and she allowed her to lock the door behind them, and cage her inside the privacy of the four, white walls. Fortunately, Regina's assistant wasn't at his desk. _Good_, Regina thought. She wouldn't have to answer his curious questions.

Regina had her back to the blonde, standing so close to the wall, with her forehead pressed against the wooden door. _Breathe_, she coached herself, _just breathe_. She could hear the younger woman's ragged breaths. She could feel her presence, and she could smell her arousal.

_Oh, Emma._

"Regina." She heard Emma call for her. "Turn around."

Slowly, Regina turned to face the blonde. She started, "I think we should-"

The younger woman didn't allow for any sort of pause, she kissed the brunette, backing her up against the wall. Her hands on her hips, and her breasts tightly pressing against the older woman's. She felt Regina slip her tongue inside her mouth, and she welcomed it. To the contact with her own tongue, she moaned sending vibrations that travelled all the way down to their cores.

When breathing became a necessity, they broke the kiss, and gasped for air. Emma pressed her forehead against Regina's, and closed her eyes. "I missed you." She whispered. She pressed her lips gently against the brunette's, "I missed you so much, Regina." Her voice was heavy, and coated with need.

Regina darted her tongue, and gave a quick lick to the younger woman's lips. She cupped her cheeks, and kissed her gently, and very slowly, to convey how she felt at the moment; content.

For quite some time, they gave each other sweet, short pecks, before pulling back. Regina locked her eyes with Emma, still cupping the younger woman's cheeks, with their noses touching. "I missed you, too." The older woman whispered. "So much," she added.

Emma smiled at the admission, and Regina mirrored the action.

A beep sounded from the telecom that was on Regina's desk, "Professor Mills, your wife's asking for you. What should I tell her?" Regina's assistant asked.

Emma's smile faltered, and her eyes widened. "What**?**" She exclaimed, "what did he just say?"

Regina opened her mouth to speak, but was interjected by another beep, "Professor Mills, your wife is asking for you, are you there?" The assistant repeated, "what should I tell your wife?"

Emma shook her head, feeling the tears form inside her eyes, "you're married?" She asked as she pushed herself off of the older woman, "you're married." She stated. She was angry, and she was pacing around Regina's office, with her hands clenched in fists. She wasn't angry, she was furious.

"Emma," Regina started, "just calm down, and-"

"-Professor Mills, your wife wants to know if you could pick up Jeramy from kindergarden." The assistant interjected again, "she says something came up, and she can't make it to dinner tonight."

"Emma," the brunette walked closer to the blonde, "listen to me-"

"-No!" Emma started off to the door.

"No," she turned around, and sprinted back to the brunette, "you're really married? You really have a kid?" She asked, already knowing the answers to her questions, but one can never be too sure. "Tell me you aren't..." Emma whispered.

Regina stayed silent, debating what to do, or say. She stared at the younger woman in front of her, and decided, "I am."

It was all that Emma needed to hear. She nodded furiously, feeling her tears stream down her cheeks. She locked eyes with her professor, smiled sadly, and held up a hand, cupping Regina's cheek. She inched closer, and gave Regina one final kiss to the corners of her mouth. She lingered there, and whispered, "I don't break up marriages, that's not me."

"You don't?" Regina was feeling defensive, "but you're a hooker, miss Swan." She spat out, "a hooker. That's all you ever do." She finished.

Emma nodded, and swallowed the hurt that struck her like lightening. She pushed her hands inside her pockets, and closed her eyes. "Good bye, professor." She said, and took off leaving the brunette behind.

Regina stood in place, staring at Emma's back as she disappeared out of view. She sighed, and closed her eyes, allowing for what just happened to register. After a minute or two, she walked back to her desk, and clicked on the telecom, "Vincent." She called.

A beat later, "Professor Mills," he answered, "what can I do for you?"

Regina sighed, "You're fired."

_You're fired you ignorant buffoon._


	8. Chapter 8

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**8**

"Penny, are you there?" Regina called with a couple of knocks on the door.

A few minutes later, Penny answered. "Yes, what is it Regina?"

"I need to talk to you about something...can I come in?"

"Right now? I'm kinda in the middle of something..." Penny sounded through the door.

"Is that a yes?" The brunette feigned ignorance.

"No, Honey. That's a no." Penny feigned ignorance as well.

"Look, I have to tell you something. It's about..." She trailed, "it's about Emma." She finished.

"What about her? Is she back?" Obviously Penny's attention was grabbed, her voice was louder and more stern.

"She is, just like I said she would." Regina smiled, but finished with a sigh. "I'm coming in." She placed her hand on the door knob, twisted, and got inside.

"Please come in, Regina." Penny mocked and threw her head back. "Would you like to join me?" She asked.

Regina shook her head a no, "no thank you, dear." She, too, was being sarcastic.

"Very well, what is it, my dear wife?" Penny closed her eyes, and motioned with her hand for the brunette to start speaking.

"To put it simply, I think we should get a divorce." She stated, with a neutral business demeanor.

Penny still had her eyes closed, "why's that?" She questioned. "Because of Emma?"

"How can I say this?" She sighed, and pretended to think. After a beat or two, "I suppose it is." She finally said.

"Well, you know we can't do that, Regina. Unless you want to throw everything away?" Penny sighed. She wasn't about to have a serious conversation with the brunette, while in this state. "Can we talk about this later?" She asked, with a slight frown. "It's not such a good time for me."

"Oh, dear. Are you feeling shy? You have nothing to worry about, I have no intention-"

She got cut off by a knock on the door, "Regina? Are you in there?" Stevie sounded through the door.

"Yes." She answered, "but don't come-"

"-I'm coming in." He placed his hand on the door knob, twisted, and got inside.

"Hey!" Penny exclaimed, and grabbed the soap she had on the back of the claw-foot tub, and threw it his way.

The redhead might not know this, but Regina could not get rid of Stevie no matter how much she tried. The man was like glue, she'd kick him, bite him, twist his arm, and he'd come back wanting more. The man also had boundary issues. He'd very much come and go as he pleases, if he had the chance. And so she learned to always lock her door whenever Stevie was babysitting for the couple. Although his departure was long overdue. Jeramy was already in bed, with the couple already home. They had asked Stevie to stay for dinner, out of good manners, and he took that as an invitation for a sleep over, apparently.

Stevie was babysitting for the couple, yes, but he did have ulterior motives to his services. He had witnessed Regina cheat on her wife this morning, and he was about to confront the brunette about it. He knew about Emma, and what she meant to the brunette, but he assumed that she got over her little crush when she married the redhead. Penny Kim, the woman who won Regina's heart at the end, and just for that, Stevie hated her guts.

"Oh, sorry professor Kim. I didn't know you were inside." Stevie's face colored a shade of red, and he immediately stepped outside.

"I really didn't mean to walk in on you, Professor Kim." He apologized through the closed door, while rubbing the side of his head where the soap bar made contact with.

_Damn, she can throw._

"Why would it be acceptable for you to walk in on my wife, Stevie?" She questioned, "you were still gonna invade her privacy while she was using the bathroom." Penny questioned.

Regina sighed, there was no hope for a conversation, the brunette deduced. "I'll talk to you later, Penny." She turned to leave, but stopped and looked over her shoulders with her eyebrows knitted, "just finish your damn bath already. You've been here for an hour, and we need to talk. Absolutely need to talk." She nodded while locking her eyes with the redhead's. Penny sensing the urgency of the situation, nodded with an apologetic smile.

Regina got out, and was greeted by Stevie. "Regina," he started, "we need to talk."

She looked at him, and rolled her eyes. "About what exactly?"

"You know about what." Stevie nodded, and led the way back to the dinning area.

* * *

"Emma, please just call me back." Ruby was leaving a voice mail for the twentieth time tonight. It was 11 p.m. and no one knew where the blonde had disappeared off to. The young brunette had called August, Ashley and Sean, and they helped her look for the blonde, but to no avail. So after hours of searching, and after Henry had fallen asleep in the car, Ruby decided it would be best for them to just get back to Emma's apartment and wait for her there. It was a bad idea not to have someone wait for her there in the first place, but Ruby knew that whenever the blonde felt overwhelmed, she'd go out rather than stay in.

"Do you think she knows?" Ashley asked from where she stood in the kitchen. She had been opening the fridge constantly, just tidying it up. It was a force of habit that comes out whenever she felt pressured.

"Of course she does," Ruby answered, "how can she not know that Regina was married. I bet everyone on campus knew, so she had to have found out." She finished with a sigh, and slumped further into the couch.

Next to her was Sean, he was staring at the t.v. that was in front of him, but not really paying attention. "I think you're right. I think this is what this is all about." He nodded his wife's way. "It must have hurt like hell." His gaze went back to the t.v.

"Well," August began as he came into view. He was tucking Henry in, and probably reading him a bed time story. "There's nothing we can do about it now," He stood next to Ruby, "but we can't lie about it. We have to tell her when she comes back that we knew. At least we should be honest with her now." He stated.

"No way. We're not telling her that. She'll think we betrayed her." Ruby exclaimed as she rose up to face August. She puffed her chest, and warned, "you better not say anything, August. She doesn't need to know that her own friends betrayed her."

"Exactly, we betrayed her!" Ashley added, "August's right-"

"-Wait." Sean yelled, "I think she'd back." He got up, and went to look behind the curtains. "She is." He whispered.

"What do we do?" Ashley whispered, "do we tell?"

Ruby shook her head a no, and with that Emma unlocked the door and was inside the apartment.

"Whoah, did I miss something?" Emma frowned, and looked over her friends as she took off her jacket, and dropped her keys in the bowl that was on the table next to the door. "Oh, God. Is it someone's birthday? You guys know I'm not good with celebrations, right?" She questioned.

"No." They all answered in union. "It's not a birthday."

She giggled, "well, now I just feel rejected." She smiled, "so what's up? Why's everyone looking at me like I have a second head."

She gasped, "Do I!?" She felt up her neck, and head, before giggling.

"Nothing much, we just thought we'd drop by." August nodded at the blonde, and offered her a bowl of nachos that was sitting on the table in front of the couch. "Nachos?"

Emma nodded, "sure, nachos." She took one, and popped it inside her mouth. Emma knew something was up, but decided against investigating any further. To be honest, she just wanted to be alone, and have a couple of beers, and drink herself to sleep tonight. But as soon as she opened the door, and was faced with all of her friends, she knew tonight will not end up as planned. Well, technically, it already did not end up as planned.

"Tell us all about it, Em." Ruby lost her patience, "how was she? Did she recognize you? Did you talk to her? Did something interesting happen?" She smiled. A fake smile, but a smile nonetheless.

Emma strutted over to the fridge, and opened it. "Holy cow!" She exclaimed, "who disciplined my fridge?" She asked, but waited for no answer as she grabbed a beer, opened it, and took a huge sip into her empty stomach.

"Emma?" Ashley started, "please tell us."

"Yeah, we want to know." Sean added.

"All of us." August finished.

"Come on, Em." Ruby cheered, "we're here for you."

The blonde remained still where she stood. Her back was to all her friends, in one hand she had the beer, and the other was inside her pocket, clenching a certain key. She sighed, and closed her eyes as realization hit. She knew something was up, but she never expected it to be this. She never thought she'd come home to this betrayal, from all of her friends. She sighed again, looked over her shoulder, channeling a glance at her friends.

_You knew?_

_All this time, you knew?_

"How about it?" She asked with an exasperated voice, "why don't you take it out?" She asked again with venom in her words.

She turned around to face her friends, and gulped the last of her beer. Emma lowered her hand, and dropped the bottle on the concrete tiles of her kitchen. It hit the surface with a clink, but did not break, and rolled over to the other side of the kitchen. Her eye were glued to the floor beneath her, and she was silently crying.

Ruby spoke first, "take what out, Emma?" Her voice was laced with worry, and love.

The rest of her friends stayed silent, they pretty much knew that Emma had came to the realization that they knew about Regina being married and didn't say a thing. Apparently Ruby was the only one who didn't notice. Or maybe she did, and chose to ignore it.

Emma looked up, and furiously wiped away her tears with the back of her hands. Her nostrils flared, and she involuntarily let out a crying whimper. "The knives out of my back." She spat. "Take it out, won't you?"

"Emma, we were just trying to help." August stated.

"You knew?" She questioned again.

Emma looked away, trying not to overreact but found it difficult, "you knew, and you didn't care to tell me?" She was angry, and she had every right to be. "You let me swoon over her like a fool. Like some sort of-" She trailed.

They tried to explain themselves, but all Emma managed to say was, "get out of my house." She said it over, and over again, but they wouldn't listen. She said it when August tried to put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down, and she swatted his arm away. She said it when Ruby told her they only kept quiet because Emma herself was depressed. She said it when Sean told her to look at it from their point of view. She said it when Ashley told her that they all loved her, and would do anything to have her forgiveness. She said it one last time, grabbed a vase, threw it against the wall, watched it shatter to pieces, and with that everyone left. Everyone except for Ruby, who rushed over to Henry's side when she heard him crying.

* * *

Emma stood still where she was standing before, only she had another bottle of beer in her hand, and was sipping from it. Ruby came back after she made sure Henry went back to sleep, and stood behind Emma.

"Emma?" She began, "I'm really sorry.. we really thought we were doing what's best for you." She said.

"I won't do it again..." Her voice hitched.

"I promise." She whispered, as she wrapped her arms around the blonde from behind, hugging her tightly.

Emma was quiet.

"I'm your family, just remember that, Em." She pressed her cheek against Emma's back.

"You have to come get me, okay?" She tightened her grip on the blonde, "just come get me..." She finished with a whisper, as she unwrapped herself from the unresponsive blonde, and headed for the door.

She glanced back, "I love you Emma." She stated, "I love you very much. You might think that I don't want you to end up with her, but I do. I want you to be happy. You deserve happiness, and if I'm not it, if I can't be the one to give it to you, then there's nothing I can do about it. But don't ever think I'm being selfish here, cause I'm not. I really do want you to be happy."

"There's nothing more I want than to see you smile."

She faced the blonde completely, and continued, "you already know that, Em. I didn't have to say it, and you knew. So..." She trailed, and looked away from the blonde.

"All I'm asking, is for you to know that now." She finished her words, and with a final smile, she took off.

* * *

It was an hour later that Emma's knees finally gave up on her. She sobered up from her state of blankness, and allowed herself a moment to register what had just happened. She looked over her apartment, and remembered. With a killing pain coming from her stiff knees, she turned around, and headed to her room.

On her way, she stopped to check up on Henry, and when she saw he was fast asleep, she let out another sigh. She closed the door, and promised herself to do better next time, and not scare her little brother to death.

_My son, and not my brother. My son._

She headed to her room, placed her hand on the handle, switched it open, and went inside. She hastily took off her boots, and clothes, keeping her underwear, and dropped on her bed with a thud, and another big sigh.

After half an hour of tossing and turning, Emma got up, and reached for her phone that was inside her jeans pocket. She obtained it, and went back to her bed, sitting up this time. She sighed, yet again, and opened her phone, looking through her contacts. Finding the number she was looking for, she hit dial.

It was 1 a.m., and she really didn't expect her to answer, but she did.

"Who is this, and why are you calling me at this hour?" Regina's voice sounded through the phone, and she sounded tired. Annoyed. Arrogant. Uncaring.

"Heyyyy..." Emma answered.

"...Emma?" Regina was surprised. Well, that was an understatement. "Is that you?" She asked.

"Depends. How many Emmas do you know?"

"..." Regina stayed quiet. _Only one_, she thought. "so it is you then?"

"It is..." Emma answered in a whisper.

"Are you drunk?" The brunette asked.

"Not to be a cliche, but yes I am." She giggled.

"Emma..." Regina trailed. She couldn't really explain anything to the blonde. The situation she was in, there is no going back. "I really did miss you, Emma." She chose to at least convey those feelings.

"Liar!" The younger woman spat. "You're married."

"I am married, but that doesn't mean I didn't miss you." Regina spat back.

"What are you saying? Are you unhappy?" She asked, with a little bit of hope in her voice.

Regina stayed silent, not finding the words to explain.

After a beat or two of utter silence, Emma began. "If you aren't happy with your marriage, then I'm going to have to steal you away from her, Regina." Emma's voice hitched, she was crying again.

"And if you are unhappy and want to stay for your kid, then I'd just have to be your lover then, and convince you that I can be a mother to him, too." She gasped for air, trying to calm herself down, and continued.

"And if you're happy, but want someone on the side, then I have no choice but to be your mistress. I'll give you sex, Regina. Mind blowing sex." Her tears renewed again.

"And if you're happy, and you want to be married, and want to stay in your marriage, but you want someone to flare up your life again, then I'll be that flame, Regina. Let me be that flame." At this point Emma was weeping, and gasping for air. And from the looks of it, Regina was in the exact same state, minus the comfort of alcohol.

Emma fell silent for a few moments, but then continued, "and if you're happy, and content with your marriage. And you're absolutely sure that you don't need me in your life, then..." She trailed, "I have no choice but to move on." She sniffed, and weeped.

Silence.

"I don't know how to move on, but I will..."

"For you, I will move on, and leave you be."

_Even though I know I can make you happier._

They stayed silent, just listening to each other cry. Regina was in physical pain over the fact that she can't really be honest with the blonde, and Emma felt hurt from being rejected. Yet again. But nevertheless, they stayed for what seemed like hours, just silently consoling each other. Until the cries subsided, and they fell into awkward silence.

"Emma..." Regina started, "you should get some sleep, and we'll talk when you're sober." No matter how much Regina wanted to reach out, and embrace the blonde, she knew that Emma may very well forget about this conversation all together, so she did the right thing. Despite what her body, and mind was telling her, she did the right thing. It was the right thing to do, but it still felt so wrong.

"Call me when you're sober, Emma." She sighed, "have a good night sleep, honey." She whispered, and ended the call.


	9. Chapter 9

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

9

Emma woke up with searing headache. She blinked a few times, before cringing to the bitterness she tasted as she swallowed. She closed her eyes shut, not wanting the sunlight to burn a hole inside her eyes, and began stretching her arms and legs to shake off the stiffness. Well, some of it. She moved her head around, feeling it crack with every angle change. She cursed.

A few minutes passed, she slowly opened her eyes. She noticed then, the sun wasn't rising, it was descending. "Holy shit!" She exclaimed, and moved too quickly off the bed for her own good. As soon as her feet made contact with the floor, her head spun around, as if the coldness of the marble tiles travelled all the way to her mind and gave her a brain freeze. She inhaled, and exhaled in a way to calm herself down, and also to get accustomed to the dizziness she'd managed to increase. She got herself reasonably stable, and moved to put on the discarded articles of clothes.

Fully dressed now, she glanced at the clock hung at the wall in the hall leading to Henry's room, and saw it was just a few minutes past 4 p.m. She frowned at the clock, mentally scolding it for being this late. She moved to Henry's door, and walked inside.

"Henry?" she called, but saw he wasn't in sight. She abandoned the idea, and moved to the kitchen, thinking he'd be there.

The kitchen was as clean as a whistle, the blonde deduced it was Ashley's doing, and relaxed at the idea that Henry was with her, but she'd call to confirm anyway. She noticed a bunch of tupperware, neatly presented on the kitchen island. She narrowed her eyes, Ashley never cooked, so it meant maybe someone else had broke into her apartment, and cooked for her. Or maybe it was Ashley, and another accomplice.

"Whatever." She muttered, and started making herself a much needed dose of caffeine. She reached for the coffee maker, and saw it was already full of hot steamy liquid. She sighed, "must be Ruby's doing." She poured herself a coffee, took a sip, and confirmed her suspicions that indeed it did taste like the coffee her roommate makes; just perfect.

The strong coffee mixed with an empty stomach, made her even hungrier, so she sat on the kitchen high stool, and with a sigh, tugged into whatever lunch was packed for her. She opened the first container, and saw it was salad. She scratched her nose, and closed it again.

"Never salad for me." She muttered, and pushed the container away from her.

The blonde proceeded to open the second one, and saw something she liked, apple pie. She smiled at the piece of heaven, and closed it again, saving it for later. She opened the final tupperware, and in an instant, her vision went blurry. She looked around the counter, and saw no eating-utensils in sight, so she went with her thump and index finger.

Slowly holding a creamy noodle in her hand, and raising it to her mouth, she bit on it with her lips, and nipped on the rest of the noodle with a sucking sound. She repeated the action again, adding a chicken stripe in the mixture of the creamy noodle, and her salty tears. The second time, it was even harder to swallow, but she needed food, and this fraud of a chicken fettuccine would have to make do.

It was after 5-6 stripes of creamy noodles, that her stomach tied the knots, and she went running for the bathroom to throw up the rejected food. It just held too much sentimental value to the blonde. She groaned, and let her tears fall freely, as her head bent over the toilet. She cried even more, as she remembered how Ruby would normally be holding up her hair, and rubbing her back. "Ruby.." she whispered.

"Ruby," and then she's throwing up again.

* * *

"It's your work, Emma. You have to do it." Her boss instructed.

"But I told you I don't want to pursue women, they don't want to look at my boobs, or get in my pants. Well, most of them don't." She shrugged, and took another bite out of her cheese burger. "Men are easier to handle."

"First of all, eww." He shook his head, Emma was like a daughter to him, and he was willing to beat whoever tried anything funny with her. He doesn't really want her to be in this line of work, but she needed the money, and that he could supply. "Yeah, but this time they specifically asked for you, Em. They're also paying extra." He leaned on the frame of the door of his office.

"Extra? How much extra?" She raised an eyebrow.

"A lot, whatever it took." He grinned.

"Sounds suspicious." She locked eyes with the man, "don't you think?"

"It did, but the man checked out. He's clean, he just wants to find this woman, so he could sue her. Apparently she messed up with someone he loved." He shrugged, "women." He sighed.

"Indeed, women." Emma sighed.

"But I still don't want to go after them, Bailey. Women are bad news, and I'd like to stay away from them at the moment." She nodded, and sipped from her sprite.

"I didn't know John was a woman's name." He moved closer to Emma, placed his hand on her shoulder, "come on, you're the best I've got." The aged man nodded, and ruffled her hair. "I'm completely depending on you, Em." He smiled, and went back inside his office.

"Fine!" she yelled as she took another bite. She glanced at the clock, and saw it was 6:20 p.m. "I'll leave in 10!"

* * *

Emma arrived at the place where she was supposed to meet her client at exactly 7 p.m. The place was huge, a mansion really. She looked at the address on her phone, and wondered where she'd seen this place before. She sat in her car, and stared at the house through her rolled down window. _Why does it look familiar,_ she thought, _I've definitely seen it before._

She looked at her phone again, reading the txt out loud:

**John D**

**108 M St**

She read it again, and again, and then it hit her. This was Regina's place. Regina's fucking house. Emma never really looked up where Regina lived, but she had seen pictures before, and that house was definitely hers. She stared at it in shock, "why would Regina hire me?" She asked herself.

"Why would she want to find some woman named John?" She questioned, "what on earth is happening?"

This all seemed very much planned, like someone was pulling the strings, moving her around. The blonde felt like a puppet, and wether Regina was the only puppeteer was still undecided. She didn't have much time to process anything though. She needed more than 2 minutes, but that was all she got. A group of youngsters were walking down the street, nearing Regina's house. She recognized one of them as her classmate from yesterday's class. Emma sighed, and watched as the group rang the bell, waited a couple of minutes, and then they were greeted by a beautiful redhead, that welcomed them inside.

_Screw this!_

_I refuse to be manipulated._

Emma made up her mind, and called her boss. The line went straight to voice mail, and she wondered if he was in on this, too.

_Just great!_

Everything was becoming more, and more complicated. This, being hired by Regina, was the last of it. She won't take much more crap from people, it was time she put her foot down. She debated wether to just ignore her client, and go home, or to at least have the decency to formally decline the offer. She really didn't want to lose her job, so this was the only reason that Emma chose to stay.

With a grunt, Emma made her way to the front door, and rang the bell. After a few minutes, the same redhead answered the door. "How can I help you?" She smiled.

"Uh..." Emma stared awkwardly at the woman, "are you my client?" She asked. "I'm supposed to-"

"-Who is it, Penny?" Regina sounded from inside the house.

The redhead looked over her shoulders, "it's okay, I got it, honey." She replied before she looked at the blonde again. Penny smiled, "I'm Penny Kim," she extended her hand.

Emma stared at the woman before her like she had just seen a ghost. Eyes wide open, mouth agape, eyebrows knitted together, and her hands were shaking. "Uhh.." She started, but found no coherent words to mutter, "I.." She looked at the extended hand, and her mind went blank.

_Who is this person, and why is she extending her hand?_

_Was I supposed to shake her hand?_

_Did we make some sort of deal?_

_Wait..._

_What am I doing here?_

_What did she want again?_

_Did she want me to give her something?_

_Is that why she has her hand extended?_

Emma fished through her pockets, not noticing that she had started hyperventilating.

"Miss," she heard someone call her, "miss, are you alright?"

She didn't mind the calls, and kept fishing in her pockets. Front pockets, jacket pockets, back pockets. Finding a couple of bills, she made an Aha-sound, and extended her arm, clutching green, coins, and a couple of mint refreshments to the redhead.

"Here," Emma offered. "Is this what you wanted?"

Penny eyed the blonde with curiosity for a beat of two, before giggling slightly under her breath. She looked over her shoulders, and then back to Emma. Penny cupped the blonde's hands with both her hands, and squeezed. "Relax." She smiled genuinely. "Relax." She kept coaching until Emma's hand lost its stiffness, and she retracted them, feeling common sense return to her.

"I...I..." Emma stuttered, "I don't remember why I'm here." She finally admitted. And she wasn't lying. At the back of her mind, she knew that this was Regina's house, but she seemed to have forgotten everything else, which was weird since she has a photogenic memory.

"That's okay," Penny assured, "would you like to come in for a glass of water?" She gently offered.

Emma locked eyes with the redhead, and nodded. "Yes, please." She whispered.

Penny moved aside, allowing Emma to walk inside. The blonde stood in the foyer, and turned back to face the redhead for further instructions. The older woman nodded towards the kitchen as she walked there, and Emma followed suit.

* * *

They reached the kitchen, and Emma found herself immediately occupying a seat around the island. She sat down, and lowered her head, clutching the edges of the high, wooden stool.

Penny watched as the younger woman seemed to coach herself to calm down, and smiled sadly to herself. She wondered what would've happened if it was Regina who answered the door, she knew her wife didn't like slow people that tested her patience. The thought made her giggle, and Emma's head snapped back up to eye the redhead. Penny shook her head a no, "don't worry, I'm not laughing at you." She closed her eyes, and smiled at the image in her head of Regina scolding the blonde, "but I have a feeling that someone might if we don't get you all normal again." She said as she opened her eyes, and smiled at the blonde, moving to the fridge in the process.

Emma relaxed a bit at the other woman's gentleness, but at the same time she felt like she was suffocating. She will have to tell her what she, and her wife did, and she would have to tell her now. The guilt is consuming her from the inside out, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to do what was right, rather than run away from the truth like she always did.

Penny poured the blonde a glass of water, and handed the glass to Emma. "Here you go." She smiled again, "drink up." She took a seat opposite from Emma, "are you here for the extra tutoring program?" She asked as she cocked her head to the side.

"Uh," Emma was still scared, and well, she was terrified to say the least. She looked up from under her lashes, and locked eyes with the redhead. _I'm sorry_, she tried to tell her, _I'm so sorry._

_I wished you'd be someone I could detest, but you are the picture of gentleness, and politeness, and warmth, and, and you're just too nice for me, or anyone, to hate you._

_I am so sorry for kissing your wife._

_I feel so ashamed about it, and-_

Her train of thoughts got cut when she realized that she might have slept with Regina whilst she Penny was married to her. "Oh God.." she exclaimed, "Oh God.."

"What's wrong?" Penny asked, as she made her way to the blonde across the kitchen island.

"You..." She trailed, "I'm so sorry...I'm so.." She began crying, "I'm so sorry!"

Penny couldn't understand what was happening, but the sight of the young blonde in distress made her instantly wrap her arms around the pale, shaky body, and hug her completely. "It's alright, darling." She assured. "It's alright, just breathe." She coached as she felt the younger woman settle in her arms. "Just breathe." She whispered, and rubbed Emma's back.

"Penny, what are you doing-" Regina stood frozen in place, as she walked to the sight of her wife, and her lover hugging in her kitchen.

"Emma!?" Regina gasped, which made the two cuddled bodies to jerk their heads, and look back to see the brunette standing at the door, with a hand tight to her chest, and the other against the door frame, making sure she doesn't lose her balance.

A/N: I can't believe I wanted to end this in 2-3 chapters. In my defense, the story line changed dramatically as I wrote more chapters. At first, I wanted Emma to be an amateur hooker, that was doing it for the quick money, but then I changed my mind from the 3rd or 4th chapter.

* * *

She's been giving tutoring lessons to those students who are willing to go the extra mile in achieving excellency. So far, out of the student who signed up, Belle, Cora, Neil, and Jefferson, were the only 4 who were personally accepted into the night program by Regina. True, they more than proved their commitment and showed their love for the psychological aspects of the human life, but each one of them had a specific weakness that aided the brunette professor in evaluating their capabilities.

Belle was this innocent, young lady, who seemed like plastic at first, but after a closer look, Regina discovered that she was actually a see-through pearl; immensely pure. Her innocence was her weakness, but it is that same intriguing weakness that earned her a place in the program, along with her spot-on intuition.

Cora was the complete opposite of Belle. She was a reptile that snaked her way in through the crowd with mind games, and dirty plays. She was a master manipulator, and an excellent poker player in the sense that she never let her real emotions show.

Neil was a foolish man, who once knew how to con his way through life. He had admitted to at least that much, and was proud of the fact that he never got caught. But that also was why he had interest in doing something legal with his skills. He was the underdog that Regina pitied, and so he was accepted. His weakness was his past.

Jefferson, was a complete maniac, Regina noted. He was a man who lived his life on the fine line of sanity and madness. That was his weakness, but also his strength and charm. He was a man who had the possibility of being madly brilliant, or brilliantly mad.

* * *

"Professor Regina, where's professor Kim?" Belle asked.

"Minus one point for you, Belle. You broke character." Regina smirked, and jotted down on her notes.

"But doesn't that mean that you broke character, too, Professor?" Neil asked.

"Minus 2 points for you, Neil." She giggled.

"What? Why?" Neil questioned.

"You broke character right after I warned someone else about not breaking character, what does that say about you, Neil?" She grinned, "plus, I'm not participating in this Psychodrama. I'm more of the observer, or the therapist."

"But I thought it was a game to gain insight on ones life?" Neil was being stubbornly childish.

"It is, it is also a what they teach you in later years to develop a psych evaluation, and to use it in treating clients. The goal is to obtain insight, yes, but one of the main rules is not to deviate from character." She explained.

"I see," Belle nodded, "but I really am worried about professor Kim. She's been gone a long time." Belle scrunched up her brows, "maybe she needs help with something."

_Poor girl, she's in love with my wife._

Regina sighed, "I'll go get her." She smiled at the young brunette, and made her way outside her study, and into the foyer.

* * *

"Emma!?" Regina gasped.

"Regina..." The blonde answered in a low whisper, as she untangled herself from Penny.

Penny looked over at her wife, and then back at the blonde, finally realizing who it was she's been hugging. "Regina?" Penny called, trying to make sense of it all. She moved away from Emma, and reached for her wife, placing a hand on her shoulder. She locked eyes with the brunette.

"A minute, please." Penny nodded, smiled at the blonde, and stormed out of the kitchen, with her hand tugging at Regina's wrist.

The redhead climbed up the stairs, took a left, and into Regina's bedroom. The brunette went inside first, Penny closed the door after them, quietly, and turned to face her wife, unable to notice her expression in the darkness of the room. "Is that her?" She asked. "Is that the Emma?"

Regina sighed, nodded, and Penny barely saw it. "Regina, you can't tell her anything." She warned.

"Why, though?" Regina's head snapped up, and her eyes were flaring with anger. "Why can't I just tell her that all of this is a fake marriage, and that I don't have anyone else in my mind, BUT her."

_Well, that hurt_. "I told you this before, honey." She reached closer to the brunette that stood in the middle of the room, with her hands hugging her body.

"I know what you said, but how will I convince her to come to me when all she knows is that I'm married." Regina hugged her body tighter, "I'll lose her again.." She whispered.

_I can't let that happen._

_I've waited too long for us to meet again._

_I gave up too much for this._

_I'm not giving up on her now._

"You won't." Penny whispered back, and walked closer to her wife. To her friend. "I don't think she's over you yet, and we have just a couple of more months together before we take him down." She placed a hand on Regina's shoulder, "this goes beyond love, sweetie. This is about people's lives, and about ours. We're fighting for our safety, Regina. Do you think I'd keep you away from her for another minute if I didn't think that, ultimately, you'd end up dead somewhere in a dumpster?"

After a minute of thinking, Regina looked up at her friend, "I understand it in my head, Penny. But my heart is.." Her voice hitched, and she let out a sob, "my heart is hurting so much that I can't be with her, that I can't get to know her, that I can't-"

"-I know. I know, Regina." Penny hugged her friend, and buried her head against her shoulder. "We'll get through it together, and in time, you'll finally be with her."

She pulled back a bit, "but for now, we really can't tell anyone about our arrangement. It's too dangerous." She nodded, and waited for Regina to look up at her. "You know that Mr. Gold will send people to spy on us, and we can't risk telling anyone about our plan. This has to look real."

_I'm so sorry, Regina._

_You're going through so much because of me._

_I regret that you feel that way._

_But I don't regret marrying you._

_You are my only hope, sweetheart._

_My only hope._

Regina locked her eyes with Penny's, and smiled sadly. "You're right. You're right. I'm sorry, we can do this." She nodded, and bit her bottom lip. "Can I at least..." She trailed, looking away with a slight blush creeping its way from the base of her neck.

Penny made an Aha-sound, chuckled, and cupped her friend's face with both her hands, forcing her to look at her, "can you sleep with her, you mean?" She asked.

The redhead watched as Regina's face colored a shade of red. "Shut it!" Regina yelled. "Just shut it!" She closed her eyes in embarrassment, and broke free from Penny's grasp. "Lets go, the students are waiting."

_Emma is waiting._

Penny smiled, walked towards her friend, gave her a slap on her bottom, "by the way, the answer is yes you can, but..." She waited for her wife to turn around and face her, "but you have to be extra careful not to let anyone see you."

Regina smiled bashfully, and turned around. She walked outside her bedroom, "fine," she whispered. Knowing full well that she'd already been caught by Stevie, and whoever Stevie babbled with. She'd have to bribe him, or threaten him to make him quiet.

They made their way back to the kitchen, but of course, Emma was long gone. Regina sighed, and shrugged as she walked back to her study. "I'll talk to her next week," she weakly smiled at her friend, "lets just get this session over with." Penny nodded in agreement, and sprinted ahead to walk in front of her friend, "you get to sit next to Belle. The poor girl has-"

"-A crush on you? I know." Regina playfully slapped Penny's bottom, "payback." She grinned.

* * *

"Bailey, you did this on purpose!" Emma yelled through her phone, "I will keep giving you these voice mails if you don't pick up the damn phone." She was pissed off at her boss's unnecessary antics. If he didn't plan for this, then who could it have been?

"I know you sent me to her house...I know you set me up, just be a man and pick up the phone." She kept yelling as she drove past a red light.

"I didn't want to see her, if I wanted to, I would've used the damn key she gave me." She was enraged.

"I can't be in the same room with her without feeling like my heart is being ripped apart, and you..." She took a left, and drove past another red light.

"Just stop doing this, Bailey. I don't need this shit from you, too." And with that the beep sounded, and she hung up, and threw the phone onto the passenger's seat.

By the third red traffic light, Emma had calmed down a bit, decided it was best to follow the rules, and decided to put the car into pause. She sighed, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. A beat later, her eyes widened, remembering she had a brother to take care of, whom she had completely forgotten about.

_Great Emma. Just great._

She reached for her phone, and dialed Ruby's number. Her roommate picked up just as the light turned green, "Emma!?" Ruby sounded through the phone. "I'm so happy you called."

"Hello Ruby," Emma greeted her friend, "I'm gonna swing by to pick up Henry."

"Oh...Henry's not with me, Emma." Ruby's voice was calm, but Emma knew she was panicking, "he's not with you?"

"No, he's not. But I guess if he's not with you, then maybe he's with Ashley." Emma nodded, as she kept driving on the highway. "I'll call you later, Rubes. Let me just call Ashley, and then we should talk."

"Emma, honey." Ruby's voice was low, and shaky, "come by the trailer, and we'll call Ashley together." She sighed.

"Why?" Emma was starting to panic, "I'll just call her now, and let you know how it went later." She inhaled, "unless there's something you're not telling me." Emma exhaled, "is there?"

Ruby started sobbing immediately from the other end of the call, "Emma.." She sniffed, "Emma, Henry's not with Ashley."

Emma frowned, and honked at some asshole, driving like a maniac in front of her. "Then he must be at August's." Emma tried to calm herself down, though fear was evident in her eyes, and in her voice.

"He's not at August's, too." Ruby muttered through sobs.

"You don't know that!" Emma lost her patience, "get out of the way!" She yelled at the driver, "move it!"

"Emma, just go home, and we'll meet you there." Ruby tried to calm her friend. "I'll call the police, and let them know."

"Police? Let them know what?" She spat.

_What the hell is happening?_

_What is she saying?_

_Where's Henry?_

_Who's 'we' ?_

"Ruby, who's 'we'?" She frantacilly asked, "you said we'll meet you there, are you..." She trailed, and honked again, "are you with Ashley and August right now?"

Ruby gasped, and started weeping.

"ARE YOU?" Emma yelled, "Ruby, are you with them?

Ruby's voice was low, and weak, but it was enough, "yes..." She confirmed the blonde's suspicions, "yes..we've been together all day.." She finished.

Emma's feet involuntarily hit the brakes, and in a split second, her car flipped over from an impact coming from behind. Her bug flew ahead, landing on the driver whom Emma had called an asshole before. All it took was a second, just one second. The driver's car that's underneath, caught on fire, and started burning fast.

Emma was wide awake, and she could move around, but her legs were trapped. She didn't feel any pain, and she didn't see any blood, so it must have been the shock that rendered her weak, and speechless. She could hear people murmuring, and she could feel the flashes of people's cellphones creating exposure to her eyes, so she closed them shut. She closed her eyes, and in another second, she drifted off into sleep. _This must be rock bottom_, she thought, _yesterday was not even close to a bad day_.

_Rock bottom is when you die._

* * *

A/N: New readers, thank you for reading, following, and reviewing! This was a story I had up a a couple of months ago, and I had to take it down due to some issues. I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish it, but hopefully, now I can. Once I start uploading the newer chapters, I won't be updating daily.

And to my old readers, the new chapter will be up as soon as I'm done with my final on Monday.


	10. Chapter 10

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**Professor**

**10**

**3 Years Ago**

"Mooooom!" Emma yelled as she stared into the empty fridge shelf where she knew her burger laid once. "Moooom!" She called again.

Mary Margaret came rushing down. But as she reached the bottom of the stairs, she tripped and rolled down the rest of the remaining 3-4 steps. She groaned, and slowly got on her feet. "Coming Em!" She yelled back, and made her way to the kitchen.

"What is it?" She asked as she entered, her brows knitting in concern.

"Here, it was right here..." Emma sighed, "my burger, where is it?" She hopelessly shook her head, and slumped her shoulders. "I hid it in the back, and now there's nothing."

Mary tilted her head to the back, with a sigh, she dropped her head, staring at the ceiling. "You called me all the way from upstairs to ask me about your burger?" Her mom's voice was low, and full of disappointment. "I almost died because of you," she exaggerated a hurt expression.

"Aha-ha." Emma mocked. "You tripped down the stairs again, didn't you?" The blonde giggled. "But that's not important," she added before her mom could answer, "what's important right now is where's my cheese burger?"

Mary shrugged, "I don't know." She lied. She knew damn well where it was, it was on its way to decomposition in a dumpster somewhere in Boston.

"Come on, mom. Where is it? I'm like super hungry right now." She flailed her arms, "I come here to eat food, college is foodless at the moment."

Mary smiled a knowing smile, reached for her daughter, and rubbed Emma's shoulder, "honey, that's not a real word." She tutted, "you're broke, not foodless. The word you're looking for is penniless." She giggled.

Emma pouted, "same thing, mom." She shook her head, "same thing." The young blonde placed her hands on her mother's shoulders, "where's my burger, though?" She asked gain.

Mary looked down, "I threw it away..." she murmured under her breath.

"You WHAT?" Emma shook her mother, "but it was perfectly good." She couldn't believe her mother. "You're so mean, mom. You're the worst!"

"Hey, it was sitting in the fridge for 5 days in a row, I did you a favor." Mary spat, but her voice was still lower than her daughter's.

"Was it bad?" Emma pursed her lips together.

"I don't know, I assumed as much." Mary shrugged.

"What do you mean? You didn't smell it?"

"Burgers always smell bad to me, Emma. Dead animals. Plus, I wouldn't have noticed the difference if I wanted to." She finished, and began again, "but I'll tell you what," She grabbed both of Emma's hands, and squeezed. "I'll make you anything you want." She smiled at her only daughter.

Emma beamed, "anything?'' she asked.

"Anything." Mary confirmed with a nod.

"Then I want a burg-"

"-Anything but burgers." Mary cut in, with a toothy smile.

"But you said-"

"-I said I'd make you anything but burgers." She gave the same toothy smile, not blinking once.

"Whooh, scary." Emma muttered.

"Whatever do you mean," her mother laughed a throaty laugh.

"Then I want home made pizza." She nodded, and took a seat on the counter, waiting, and watching her mother work swiftly around the kitchen.

* * *

As Mary Margaret was putting the pizza in the oven, a knock sounded on the front door. Emma smiled at her mother, "you finish that baby, I'll get the door, and then we'll eat." She smirked, "but of course the rest will go in a tupperware, and into my mini fridge in college, right?" She asked, as she stood in front of her mother, flashing an adorable grin.

Mary smirked at her daughter, "of course. I won't let your father anywhere near your pizza, now open the door and let him in." She reassured her daughter, and gave her a half hug, which Emma evaded with a disgusted shrug, "eww, mom. Go away." She spat, and made her way to the front door when a louder knock sounded again.

"Coming!" She yelled, hearing another knock.

"Coming, dad. Be patient!" She stood in front of the door, unlocked the key, and pushed the door opening it ajar.

"Ma'am, is Mary Margaret Blanchard present?" A police officer asked, and waited for no reply as he pushed his way inside the house, "step away ma'am." another officer shoved her to the side, and blatantly invaded her home, in the same disgusting manner the first officer did.

"Mom!" Emma yelled, "Mom!" She ran after the officer, and found them in the kitchen, disgustingly cuffing her mother with their disgusting handcuffs.

"What the hell are you doing?" She spat at the officers, her voice was anger itself, and her chest was heaving. "Let her go!" She ordered, punctuating each word.

Emma was Mary Margaret's voice, for she had suddenly lost hers. She complied to each one of their orders, allowing them to do whatever they wanted. Disgusted, she felt. She knew she should have questioned, but she was rendered speechless. She looked over at her daughter, and saw her mouth moving, and her body shaking. Emma, she thought, don't hurt your voice, honey. She stared at her daughter, not hearing one word. Everything went mute, as the cold circles of metal stole away her freedom along with her voice. She knew exactly what was happening, Mr Gold had framed her, and if she wanted to do this right, she wasn't going to resist arrest. So she did as she was told.

Perhaps she shouldn't have.

She saw her daughter crying, "Emma, honey. Go call your father, don't worry." She finally found her voice.

"It's okay." She said in a low, calming voice, as she got dragged by the police officers. "it's okay, honey. It's okay." She knew what she was saying, but she didn't really hear it, she was still unable to hear anything, and there seemed to be a buzzing sound in her ear.

"Don't forget the pizza," She reminded with a sad smile, as her body disappeared behind the front door.

Emma stood frozen in place, helpless and shocked out of her mind. "What just happened?" She asked no one, and everyone.

"What the HELL just happened?" This time, asking herself as she paced around the living room, waiting for her father to arrive with her baby brother, Henry. "Oh, God!" She remembered her brother, "Henry..." She whispered, "what will I tell him?" She desperately asked herself.

A sound coming from the oven resonated, grabbing Emma by the shoulders, and shaking her back to the surreal reality. She walked the few meters back to the kitchen, and stood in front of the oven. She extended her arm, with her bare hand, gripped the gray, metal tray, and yanked it to the counter, leaving a trail of red liquid, dripping from her soft, pale palms.

* * *

"Is it done?" Mr Gold asked, his voice traveling to the other side of the line.

"Good, make sure all the evidence doesn't lead to us." He nodded, and smirked.

"I don't see why that's necessary. If we kill the whole family, they'd suspect that it has to do with our case. But framing her for a crime, sending her away for good, and perhaps an accident is bound to occur in prison, an unfortunate accident where one Mary Margaret meets her maker." He laughed hysterically, "now that, Dearie, is something worth my while."

"The girl, though, make sure she doesn't get much of a life." Slender fingers tapped on his desk, he looked up, and continued, "the father, drive him insane. Make him lose his job, the girl as well. We don't want them to live like they haven't almost drove me to bankruptcy, do we, dearie?" He looked up again.

A man stood before him, he had a hoodie covering his face, gloves covering his prints, and his voice was deep with insidious effects. "I did what you asked." He nodded, and placed a knife buried in a plastic evidence bag, "the real knife, already replaced it with the one from Mary Margaret's house."

Mr Gold smirked, "good." He went back to the phone call, "I'm depending on you, dearie." And with that he hung up the phone. His eyes darted up, and he grinned devilishly, "if one would see you, one would assume you the devil." He let out a hysterical laugh, "you'd do that to your own friend, mr bad cop?" He waited for no answer, "of course you would, you already did." He motioned with his hand, impatiently dismissing the man, "go finish the job."

He got up, reached for a drawer, pulled an envelope, "I want her dead before they realize she'd been framed," He all but threw the envelope the man's way, and sneered, "get it done, or be gone." He ordered, a droplets of his saliva spattering on the man's face. The man merely nodded, and strode off of view.

* * *

"Mrs Kim, you did the right thing. It wouldn't have been right for you to stay with a man you've clearly cheated on, would it?" Regina stated from her leather chair in her office. "Now, just sign the papers, and you'd be free from the guilt of committing such sins." She slid the papers Penny's way, and a pen followed.

"How did you do it?" Penny asked, absentmindedly rubbing her huge pregnant stomach, "I've been trying to divorce him for years now, but every time I file for divorce, the court denies it." The redhead looked sincerely confused.

"I'm Regina Mills, Mrs Kim. They wouldn't have hired me at the age 27 if I didn't get things done." She shrugged, and rolled her eyes, "I suggest you never get married again, Mrs Kim. It is a hideous road to walk through, and I, myself, will never in my life get married."

Fate had other plans, though.

Penny smiled sadly, and rubbed her templates, "please call me Penny." She nodded Regina's way.

"Why?" Regina was genuinely confused.

"I like you," Penny merely shrugged, and added, "plus I'm about 11 years older than you are, so my say goes before yours." She stared into Regina's eyes, confidence radiating from the ever glowing woman.

Regina's jaw dropped, "you're saying that you're 38 years old?" Her eyes were wide with shock, "are you?" She repeated her question.

Penny smirked, "I am, why is it so hard to believe?" She asked.

"Because you look about my age, or slightly older. But not..." She trailed, looking for a proper way to describe this situation.

"Not this old, huh?" Penny smiled. "I know, I get that a lot. But I am in fact 38 years old,"

She smiled at the brunette, "I really do like you, Regina. Lets be friends."

I've always wanted a younger sister.

Regina found herself dumbfounded but in an oddly, good way. No one had ever treated her with this sort of casualty before, and it was quite refreshing. She cocked her head to the side, and pondered her thoughts, before letting out a huge sigh, "fine.." she found herself saying.

"The truth is, I find you interesting, as well." She added, with a small smile tugging at her lips. "Friends it is, then."

* * *

**-6 Months Ago-**

"What do you mean the case was reopened?" Mr Gold spat, his face was dark with anger, and his hands were clenched in fists. "The woman is dead, and has been dead for quite some time, dearie."

A woman was sitting on the chair opposite from Mr Gold, she had brown hair, and her calmness war unnerving, yet Mr Gold was unaffected by it. "It was the daughter, and someone who owns a great sum of your company stocks." She shrugged, playing with her nails.

He abruptly stood, and took out his furry on the objects on his desk, yanking it all to the floor. "Her daughter? But you said you took care of it. She doesn't have a job, didn't even finish college, how did she manage to get evidence? Or a fucking lawyer?"

"It wasn't Emma Blanchard that reopened the case."

"Well, if it wasn't Emma Blanchard, then who's feeding the cops information?"

"It was Emma Swan, she changed her name." She laughed, "The clever little thing."

She shook her head in amusement. "The someone else is entirely unexpected, though." She finally looked up, meeting the old man's gaze, "someone named Penny Kim, you know her?" She asked with a tiny giggle escaping her mouth like all of this was just a game to her. "She's planning something. Something not good for you."

"I do," He spat, and wandered to the alcohol cabinet, pouring himself a drink.

"When she divorced her husband, the one thing she took from it was 20 percent of the stocks in Gold Enterprise, making her one of the most powerful factors in your company. The old man just gave it to her." She picked up a chess piece that had rolled near her foot, and stared playing with it. "You have a lot of shit to hide, Gold. Aside from Emma Swan's mother, Penny Kim discovered your embezzlement from the company, and she knows about the 'incident' that happened 3 years ago."

She got up, and sighed, "you need to get rid of her, but it won't be easy since her son will inherit the share. But she can't sell her share so you'd have to kill them both, and buy the share back. You can have someone you trust buy it, and then control them like the great puppeteer that you are." She hummed in approval at her own plan.

"How did you know Penny Kim's one of the VIP share holders? The list was disclosed." He cocked his head to the side, and spat, "Whore."

She waved her hand, dismissing the question, as she threw her head back, laughing hysterically. "As for Emma Swan, send her a note saying Penny is the one who did it and that she should be careful, and in return, send Penny a note saying someone needs her help, and she'll fly to them like the hopeless fool that she is."

She walked to Gold's desk, and smiled at him, "2 birds with one stone." Her eyes rolling to the back of her head, as she laughed like the snake she was.

* * *

"Regina, we need to talk." Penny paced around her friend's office. "I'm in trouble, and only you can help me." She stopped pacing, and leaned in to see what the brunette was reading.

Regina irritated, looked up meeting her friend's gaze, "what is it, Penny?"

The redhead sat on the desk, and began, "I'm going to be blunt," she tilted her head, and sighed, "will you marry me?" She asked, her voice laced with panic.

Regina opened her mouth once, twice, before it closed completely. She didn't know if the woman was pulling her leg, or was serious. "What are you saying?" She asked.

"I am being honest here, we need to get married." She nodded, and looked away from her friend."I found out that my life, and yours, are in danger. You know Mr Gold, right?" She looked back at her friend, "he's losing money, and he's losing it fast. The only way for him to not lose his job at Gold enterprise, is for him to illegally buy back his company's stock." She nodded, and continued, "I happen to hold 20 percent of the share, and you..." She trailed.

"Hold 31 percent of the share, which gives us leverage if we got married. They can't kills us all, that would look suspicious, and if they killed one of us, then the other would inherit the share." Regina finished for her friend. "I heard that he was a murderer, so it's true then?" She closed the book she was reading, and got up, "I heard about the rumor that he had killed more than the police will ever know,"

Penny nodded, "I can't let him harm my son, Regina." She walked around the brunette's desk, and reached for her hands. "Will you marry me, Regina?" She smiled sadly, "will you save my life?"

Regina sighed, and looked away.

* * *

**Some Days Ago**

"Kill her at all cost, Cora. Clearly your idea of hitting 2 birds with one stone failed miserably." He glared at the woman, and spat, "fix this!"

"It's not my fault that your man didn't deliver the message to Penny, and only delivered it to Emma." She laughed, "Plus that was 7 months ago, why didn't you come up with something else while I was gone?" She mocked.

Gold snarled at her, "Tell me, dearie, do you want to die?"

"Hey, I'm only the messenger, don't shoot me." Her hands shot up in a a surrendering position, "don't.." she weakly protested, as she giggled.

"Well then, you have a new job now, dearie." He leaned closer to her, his right hand gripping her neck, and squeezing, "kill the blonde, her expiration date is long overdue." He snarled, and released his grip sensing all air escape Cora's lungs.

She coughed, and gasped for air, before laughing hysterically, "why didn't you say that from the beginning, Mr Gold." She shook her head, as she continued to cough, "what shall it be then?" She asked.

"Hmm..." The petite, old man pondered his thoughts, before making an Aha-sound. "A car accident?" He suggested.

Cora laughed a throaty laugh, "that could be arranged. What about the other two?" She asked.

"Kidnap the boy." He smirked, his eyes dancing with joy.

"Well, now we're talking."

* * *

**Current Day **

"Jeramy honey, pick up your ball off the floor. You're going to lose sight of it." She offered her hand to her son who was sitting on the opposite side of the booth.

Penny had asked her friend, and fake wife, to have lunch with her and Jeramy at the family restaurant they often frequented. It had been 3 days since Emma left, and Penny thought it'd be good to leave the house for a change. The younger professor had been mopping around like some teenager going through a breakup. Her work was neglected, and so were her reasons to teach. All that, and she was still oblivious to the current state of her Emma.

Regina quite hated their time at this particular restaurant; it was nosy, dirty, and packed with children. 3 things that easily made the list of the top-ten things that makes Regina Mills roll her eyes and cringe. But when her wife's kid pleaded that she come with them, she couldn't find it in her heart to say no. Plus she liked the part where they made accessories out of dried noodles, Jeramy always made her a hair pin, and his mom a similar one. It made her heart flutter, watching the 2 interact.

She sighed from beside Jeramy. "Are you sure that's his ball? I've seen another child play with it earlier." Regina leaned in, and ruffled Jeramy's hair, urging him to do what his mom had asked of him.

The little boy halted his eager mouth from licking his cone of ice cream any further, and relented. "It is my ball, I should go get it." He said as he handed the cone to his mother, which Penny took with a silly smile.

"Off you go." She said as she watched her son carefully walk to the neglected ball, sitting at a corner some few meters away.

"Don't you think he should just toss it away? Others have played with it, made it..." Regina trailed, looking for a suitable word. She narrowed her eyes, and pursed her lips together before she uttered the end of her sentence. "Used."

Penny still had her eyes on her son, watching his every move. "I suppose it is used now. I'll make sure to give it a thorough scrub when we get home." The redhead smiled, noting her son had just made a friend on his way to retrieve his ball.

_What are you really talking about, Regina?_

"But it's used, dirtied, worn-out." Regina tapped on the table, and let out a sigh. "Sullied," she added. "Touched by someone else, maybe even claimed by others." The younger woman knitted her brows as she noticed Jeramy shake hands with a father of one of the other kids.

"Jeramy!" She called for him, and when he looked her way, she waved for him to return to their table. "Strangers might have played with it." She redundantly added, after a minute's pause.

Penny finally took her eyes away from her son, secretly feeling better that Regina had called for him back. "Soap will do the trick." She said with a lazy smile. By now she knew what her wife actually had in mind, but she chose not to push.

"What if the dirt soaked through the stems, and now there was no way of renewing it?" She cringed at the sight of Jeramy accepting food from yet another stranger. She sighed, and shook her head, "Jeramy!" She called again, this time louder and more sternly. "Get over here!" The restaurant was huge, filled with colorful toys and comfy cushions, and so it was easy to lose track of your goal if you were a 3 year old child, with a friendly personality.

"I suppose I'd get a new ball." The redhead looked over to her wife, "but Jeramy quite likes this one." She reached for Regina's hand from across the table, and squeezed, making the brunette look her way. "He even chose the ball over ice cream." She added, with a small smile lurking around the corners of her lips. "This is how much it is irreplaceable to him."

_But a ball is easily replaced._

Regina eyed her friend, before finally relenting with a blow of air, "but she's a hooker. Not a damn ball, a hooker."

"You've known that from the beginning."

"Yes, I knew, but what if she's with someone right this minute. I thought she'd-"

"-I don't think she is, and please tell me where all this is coming from? You've been mourning her loss like some lost puppy that got separated from its owner. And I'm not talking about the past 3 days of wine and apple cider. I'm talking about 7 months, and 3 nights of wine and apple cider."

Regina tried to break her hand free from her wife's grip, but Penny tightened her hold. "What would you do if she left again? Mop around like you did the moment she left."

The younger woman sighed, shook her head, and shrugged. She looked down at their hands, meeting in the middle of the table, and started, "I wouldn't be able to bear it. Not again." She looked up, and locked eyes with her friend, "she means so much to me, Penny. I can't describe it, but.."

_But you love her._

"Mom, can I play with the other kids?" Jeramy finally made it back, "they're on a field trip, and Jeramy wants to play." He pursed his lips together, and pouted. His hands on his hips, and his body swayed from right to left. "Pleeeeease?" He sang.

Regina chuckled, and retreated her hand from Penny's hold, to play with the little boy's hair. "Penny?" She inquired, with a brow raised. "How can you say no to this?" She smiled a toothy smile at her friend's son, to which she earned a tight bear hug from the little nugget.

Regina had been careful not to get too attached to Jeramy. She wouldn't respond when he called her Mama, and she'd remind him all the time that she was not his mother. She'd reassure him that once they get separated, she'd make sure to visit them every week. And when he sneaks in the middle of the night into her bedroom rather than his mom's, she'd wait for him to fall asleep, then she'd carry him to his mother's bed.

_I could love you, little kid._

"Alright darling, but not for long." She reached for her son, and engulfed him into a tight hug, "I don't know what I'd do without you." She whispered, and he giggled as he slipped from her arms, and ran off to the other kids. She watched him leave, and smiled to herself, before turning her head back to Regina, wasting no time, "I think you should hear her out first, then make your decision." Penny nodded.

"What decision?" Regina flailed her arms, "there's no decision, I want her." She rolled her eyes, "I just want her to stop fucking everyone." She crossed her arms, and clicked her heels onto the floor. A vein snaking its way across her temples, as if she had just realized the heaviness of the word hooker.

"I mean," she started again, after a moment of blinking the uninvited tears away, "I assumed she had already stopped after..." She trailed.

"After your magical night together." Penny finished for her friend with a nod. "Honey, I don't think she's been sleeping with anyone else." The older woman's mind trailed back to her encounter with the young blonde. She remembered how much of a wreck she'd been, and how she kept apologizing. Penny sighed, "from her body language, she didn't seem like she's been sleeping with anyone else, you know that. Plus, even if she were, life is short, Regina. You need to let it go if you want to get her back."

Regina listened to her friend, and nodded in agreement. "There's no way I'm letting her go. She's the one, I'm going to build a life with her, Penny. I know it." She smiled hesitatingly, before adding, "She makes me happy, and I haven't been happy in a long time."

"You see, but now I feel kind of hurt." Penny chuckled, "I'm sorry for being your fake life." She flailed her arms, and her eyes closed shut. "I'm sorry I don't make you happy."

Regina rolled her eyes. "Oh, like you wouldn't trade me with a guy if you had the chance."

Penny smiled, "I would."

_I wouldn't._

_Not by a long shot, Regina._

_Not by a long shot._

"Of course you would," Regina grinned. "As soon as this fake marriage is done with, you can start dating again. I'll help you meet a nice man, and we can plot a plan to strip him clean." She smirked.

"Uh, I don't know if I want to do that." She playfully rolled her eyes with a throaty chuckle. She glanced at the clock, seeing it a few minutes past 2, she called for Jeramy again. "Jeramy, come on Honey. We're leaving."

"Home, finally." Regina complained.

"Yeah, home. But first there's a place I need to swing by." Penny grinned, and let out an evil laugh.

* * *

"Please tell me again why I agreed to wear this?" Regina asked as she fiddled with the furry panda costume head she had situated between her legs. She barely fit into the passenger seat, with the huge costume cushions rendering her immobile. Penny had a brown bear costume on, and the head was in the backseat along with the very handsome Jeramy in a polar bear costume.

"Because you love me, and because I'm older, and wiser. Because I asked, more like begged, and because you owe me a lot." Penny finished in one breath, and grinned. She clicked on the radio to turn it off. They had stopped at a drive-through, and the older woman was getting ready to order. "Do you want vanilla or chocolate?" She asked.

"Chocolate!" Jeramy yelled from the backseat.

Penny turned to her son, and smiled. "Chocolate it is, then." She turned to face her wife, and repeated the question. "Vanilla or chocolate?"

Regina puffed her cheeks, and let out the air in a pout. "We just had lunch. I don't think it's appropriate to stuff our faces with food again when we've just had a proper meal."

Penny rolled her eyes, "first of all, ice cream is not food. It is merely a chunk of heaven itself that had fallen out of the sky, and rained all over the world. Everyone on the planet knows that." She rolled her eyes again, "and appropriate? Hah! Look at you talking like a college professor, while wearing the cutest costume one could wear."

Regina's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open. "I AM a college professor." She spat, "I am also your boss!" She spat again, "and not just your boss, your-"

"-Wife, and friend, and you also saved my life. Yeah, yeah." Penny waved a hand, dismissing the brunette. She always knew just the right words to shut her friend up.

Regina just rolled her eyes, and looked away. She stared out the window, and murmured, "vanilla..."

Penny chuckled, and waited for the car in front of them to move, before she drove ahead, and placed the order.

2 minutes later, the guy handed them their ice creams. Penny drove 2 blocks ahead, and parked in front of a tall building surrounded by small flower shops, and what seemed like a hospital. A minute later they were all furiously licking their own ice creams, trying to finish it first. Penny had suggested a race, and it was in Regina's nature to never back down from a challenge, so she accepted.

"You're on!" She flared.

Penny smirked, "you can't beat me, dear. I'm used to the brain freeze." She said between ice cream bites. A moment passed, "are you okay, baby bear?" She turned and faced her son, "Jeramy?" She called for him, and when she didn't get a response, it confirmed her suspicions that he had indeed fallen asleep, and was not faking it like he sometimes does. His ice cream cone had dropped on his newly bought polar costume, and he was drooling all over his car seat. She smiled at her son, and shoved the rest of the ice cream cone inside her mouth, and with her free hand, she took out her cell phone.

"Reeseena." Her mouth was full.

Regina faced her friend, "what was that?" She asked. "Don't tell me that was 'Regina'?"

Penny nodded, and motioned with her head for the brunette to look. "Wook at him." She was still struggling with the last of the ice cream. She held up a hand, while she tried to swallow the freezing dessert, and licked her lips when she was done. "Lets take a picture of the 3 of us." She smiled at Regina.

"Now? He's asleep." Regina frowned.

"Yeah, we're gonna have to wake him up anyway." She tapped on the steering wheel.

"Why?" The brunette completely faced Penny, and crossed her arms, with the ice cream cone carefully held in one hand. "I'm not going anywhere else." She stated, "I'm done for the day." They had been out for 3 hours, but to Regina it felt like 10. "I'm tired." She lied. "I can't even lift a finger," she added to the lie.

Tired? We'll see about that.

"Last place, I promise." Penny waited for no further objections from the younger woman, and in one motion got out of the car.


	11. Chapter 11

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

11

_"Last place, I promise."_

"Regina, don't hate me." Penny said as they walked down the street, "I love you, my dear." She added, not even blinking a blink. "I love you very much."

They had gotten out of the car where they had parked, and Penny had led them to a flower shop. She had bought dozens, and dozens of roses, and had distributed them amongst themselves. The 3 of them had tucked the roses inside their huge costume pockets.

"What?" Regina asked. Being a woman who likes woman, sometimes it gets confusing. "What do you mean?" She asked again as she picked herself up from the startling admission, and followed the redhead.

"You are my family. You're like a sister to me. In fact..." Penny took a left with her son in tow. "I consider you my sister, my friend, and even my daughter." She smiled to herself, "and that's why-"

"-Please do tell me what the hell you're babbling about?" Regina huffed, and tugged on her friend's forearm. "You're not dying, are you?" Her brows shot up, and she sneered.

"Mommy?" Jeramy asked, but was ignored by both of the women.

Penny turned to face the brunette, "not at the moment," she mocked, "but everyone's dying a little each day."

"Huh? Mommy?" Jeramy asked, but was ignored again.

"That's why you should grab your chances by the neck, and never let go." Penny added for good measure. She was not in a position to laugh anymore. The redhead waved a hand in dismissal, "now put on your panda head." She ordered.

"No." Regina crossed her arms, "tell me what's wrong first." She frowned.

Penny provided no answer, and instead she reached for the panda head herself, and all but forcibly shoved it on Regina's head. "Listen to your wife for once." She scolded, "I have only the best intentions for you."

"Mommy?" Jeramy asked. His voice shaky, and throaty. "Did Jeramy do something?" He dropped his head, and clutched his polar bear fur.

"No honey. No, you didn't." She crouched down, and fixed his costume, giving him a hug when she was done. "Now, lets go." She ordered her family.

"Where to?" Regina asked.

"The hospital." Penny answered, and motioned to the building they had stopped in front of. "Lets go." She nodded.

They walked inside, 3 people in bear costumes. Adorably handing out roses to the passerby. Penny had started it, and seeing the smiles on people's faces, Regina and Jeramy joined in. They handed the roses to random people who were visiting, and random patients.

"Mommy, I feel like an angel." Jeramy beamed. "Everyone is so happy." He giggled.

"Honey, you are an angel." She chuckled, and handed a rose to a passerby, who in return blew her a kiss.

"I must admit; this is fun." Regina relented.

_Now if you'll tell me the real reason why we're here, I'd feel much better, Penny._

They kept on handing the roses, and when they were done with the first floor, they took the elevator to the 2nd one.

"A single rose to a handsome man." Penny handed the guard a rose, and bowed down. The man laughed, nearly going red with blushing.

"Thank you," he whispered, as he buried his nose inside the rose.

The 3 of them were out of roses as they reached the end of the 2nd floor. Penny motioned for Regina and Jeramy to sit in the waiting area, as she went to buy more.

5 minutes later, she was back. "Hey," she casually waved her hand.

"Where are the roses?" Regina asked.

Penny took out a bouquet of flowers out of her costume pocket, and handed it to Regina as she made her way to her family. "Here you go." She nodded, and slumped on a seat next to her son.

"For me?" Regina raised a brow, "are you sure I'm like a sister to you?" She joked.

"That's quite funny," Penny mocked, "it's not for you." She admitted.

"Jeramy honey, go wait with that lady over there." The redhead motioned to an old nurse, who was waving at him. "She has candy for you." She smiled a toothy smile, that broke into a laugh seeing her son all but run towards the nurse. Penny waved at the nurse, who smiled in return.

"Penny?" Regina asked, "what's going on?" She reached for the panda head to take it off.

"Don't!" Penny warned. "I'm sure someone is watching." She added.

"Tell me what the hell is going on!" Regina abruptly got up, and placed her hands on her hips. "What is going on!"

Penny smiled at how adorable her friend looked pouting while in costume. "Sit down, please..." She patted on the seat next to her. "I have to tell you something."

Regina sat down, and waited for her friend to speak.

"Emma is behind that door." Penny stated, motioning to a door at the end of the hallway. "She got into a car accident 3 days ago." She added.

"What!? And it didn't occur to you to tell me 3 days ago!? How could you?" Regina got up again, and started for the door.

"Wait!" Penny tugged at her friend's forearm. "Someone's watching." She pulled her friend back to the seat, "you have to listen to me, Regina. Just listen." She sighed, and dropped her head against the wall behind her.

After a few moments of pondering her thoughts, Regina sat down, and hugged her body.

"Someone tried to kill her, and I didn't tell you 3 days ago because she only woke up today." She took a deep breath,

"What? Tell me she's not hurt, Penny!?" Regina exclaimed.

The redhead waved a hand no. "She's all better now. Don't worry about Emma, she's stronger than I initially thought."

"Who would try to kill her?" Regina asked, she could feel the sweat drops rolling down her body.

"I can only assume that it was Gold's doing. I think somehow he found out that she's important to you, and this is his way of threatening us." She sighed, "I honestly don't know. But my source told me that 2 cars tried to trap her, but she hit the brakes just in time, escaping their plan to crash into her from the front and the back at the same time."

"But how would he know, Penny? We haven't exactly been spending time together. It was only for a night, and then 3 nights ago at our..." Regina trailed as realization hit. "He has people from the inside spying on us." She clutched her hands, "students?" She asked.

Penny nodded, "looks like it. That's why I didn't want to tell anyone about our marriage." She reached for her friend's shoulders, and placed her hands there.

"There's more, Regina." She firmly held Regina's shoulder, keeping her in place. "Emma, apparently, has a son. And he was kidnapped."

Regina tried to break free, but Penny's hold was stronger. "Let me go." The brunette's voice was low, and dangerously threatening. "Let. Me. Go."

"You have to say goodbye, Regina. That's why I brought you here. I made sure no one would know who you are, so this it's time for you to say goodbye, until you meet again."

"Let me go, Penny." She threatened again.

_I am letting you go, Regina._

_That's what I'm trying to do here._

_Why aren't you listening!?_

"I've managed to secure the place for the rest of the night, so you should go and talk to her. Clear everything up, and then let her go for her safety. For the sake of her kidnapped son, you have to let her go, Sweetie." She finally let go of Regina. "This is not forever, this is just until we can take him down." She whispered as she watched her friend quietly get up, and walk to the door in question.

Regina reached the door, with the bouquet in hand. She sniffled, and shifted in place, feeling the weight of the costume overwhelm her for the first time since she'd put it on. She pressed her forehead against the wall, praying to wake up from this nightmare. She unwillingly let out a sob, before she shoot her head trying to shake the tears away. Her state not bearing the slightest resemblance of control she once had over her life.

Everything was spinning around her. The floor underneath, the walls, the ceilings, her head. She gulped, and turned down the door handle, pushing with all the strength she could muster, letting the door open ajar. She looked up, and for the first time, she wished she hadn't known Emma. She wished she hadn't met her from the beginning. The amount of control she had over Regina, was no doubt more than Regina herself ever realized. She also felt connected to her in ways, the brunette had never comprehended before. She felt her pain, her sorrows, her hopelessness. Her heart broke to the sight of Emma lifelessly splayed out on the bed, her eyes completely blank. Lifeless. Broken. In that moment, Regina knew how far down the rabbit hole she had actually fallen.

_Fuck you, Emma._

_Fuck you!_

_What have you done to me!?_

She walked in, and closed the door behind her.

* * *

Walking inside the room, all Regina could think about was why on earth was Emma in a run-down hospital and not in the hospital of Boston, which by far, was much more better. The blonde had bluish bruises all over her face and body, but other than that, she didn't have any signs of broken bones. Well, maybe she was fine physically, but not emotionally.

The room was small, but it was rather cleaner than the older woman had anticipated it would be. She noted the many flower pots, and lavish bouquets that lay on one corner, and chocolate and fruit baskets that lay in another. She looked at her own bouquet Penny had bought her for a second, and then hid it further inside her panda pocket. She saw one just like it within the bunch.

_Good going, Regina._

The blonde didn't notice the brunette walk in, and was staring to her right, and out the huge glass window. "Emma?" Regina called as she took off her panda head. "It's me, Regina." She called, feeling awkward that she had to introduce herself as if saying, "hey, remember me?" She shook her head, slowly strode closer to Emma, and sat on the edge of the bed.

She knew not to push the blonde for she was in a fragile state of instability, and any wrong move would set her off. The blonde was like a ticking bomb, ready to explode at any time, and it was Regina's role to dismantle that bomb; to carefully take it apart, and to reshape the pieces into something more… more stable. "Emma?" She called again, this time her voice was laced with warmth.

A few moments passed, before Emma finally looked up at Regina. Her eyes regained their usual gleam, and widened as if she had just noticed the woman in front of her. "Regina?" She called, her voice throaty and barely audible. "Is that you?" She felt awkward for having to ask the brunette for clarification as if saying, "I've been waiting for you."

"Hey," Regina got up, and kneeled on the ground. She took hold of Emma's hand, and cradled it between her palms. "I'm right here, Emma." She squeezed, and kissed the top of the younger woman's pale fingers. "I'm right here."

Emma smiled sadly, "I had to make sure you were real." She bashfully admitted, not seeing the point in hiding anything now that she had faced death. She shook her head, and slowly situated herself in a sitting position. "What are you wearing?" She asked, an eyebrow raised, eyeing the panda costume Regina had on.

Regina looked at her own attire, then let out a throaty chuckle. "I don't know, I'll take it off." She shyly stated, and began sliding the front zipper down.

"Wait," Emma exclaimed, "keep it on, you look adorable." With brutal honesty, she smiled, but soon it turned into a frown when she saw Regina slide the zipper up again. "No, keep it the way it was. I had a nice view." She grinned.

The older woman looked down, noticing how much cleavage she had had on display. "Oh," She exclaimed, and slid the zipper down, without second thought relenting to the blonde, and revealing her navy v-neck blouse once again.

"Much better." Emma smiled, and carefully scooted to one side. She laid there, and locked eyes with Regina's. "Come here," she tilted her head to the side, and patted on the empty space to her right.

Regina walked over, and cautiously, but anxiously laid next to the blonde. Lying on her left side, her right arm draped over Emma's torso, with her cheek touching the side of Emma's face. She sighed, not being able to be fully skin-to-skin with the blonde, but she yielded as she felt Emma sink deeper into her body.

Regina smiled, and nuzzled her nose against the younger woman's cheek. "I missed this." She whispered, "I missed you." She gave Emma a soft kiss on her cheek, before pulling back, and resting her head on the pillow again.

Emma smiled at the gesture, but did not look at Regina. "I missed you, too." She said, "that much is obvious." She added.

Regina sighed, and bit her bottom lip. After a beat or two, with her index finger she slowly traced Emma's dry lips, before she trailed her finger to the younger woman's jaw, feeling her chin, and then lightly tracing the hollow of the younger woman's neck. She trailed her finger further down, and hooked it on the collar of the loose-fitting hospital gown. She pulled on the fabric, revealing the full length of Emma's collarbones.

Emma sighed, and closed her eyes shut. "You're married." She whispered, more to herself than to Regina. She wanted to remind herself that the brunette was unavailable, off the table, taken, not hers. "Your wife is…" she trailed as she felt Regina's hot breath seep through the fabric of the gown, and hit her hard-as-rock nipple head on. She let out a soft moan. "Your wife…she's nice." She managed to let out.

"You said you were willing to be my lover." Regina whispered, still keeping her mouth a mere inch away from Emma's body. Her finger was still hooked on the fabric, "you said you'd be my mistress." She said before she yanked the gown down, revealing Emma's right breast. "You said…" Regina trailed as she took the whole of the blonde's breast into her mouth, urgently sucking.

The younger woman couldn't help the loud moan that escaped her lips. Her right hand tangled into brown locks, keeping Regina in place, while the other muffled her groans.

Regina kept her ministrations for a minute, before releasing the nipple with a delicious pop, concurrently moaning slightly.

"When have I ever…" Emma began, breathing heavily as she continued, "I never said that." She finished, opening her eyes to watch the brunette.

Regina kept her gaze at Emma's nipple, debating herself. Does she really want to do this? Was this the best way to say goodbye? The last time they ventured into such acts, she ended up with a broken heart for 7 long months. Even now, she felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest.

Though, for a moment, she allowed herself to think about that night, and all the things they had done, and she wavered. "I want you." She whispered, and gave Emma's nipple an agonizingly slow lick, before she took it between her teeth.

Emma groaned. "Regina…" She called. "Stop…" She protested weakly, her fingers digging deeper into the brunette's scalp, and bringing her closer. "You have to stop…" She contradicted herself.

Regina didn't listen, and released the nipple, only to situate herself so she could suck on Emma's pulse point on her neck.

The younger woman moaned, and as she did so she winced, feeling the air escape her worked-up lungs. "Ouch." She softly gasped.

The older woman abruptly pulled away, and gasped. "What's wrong, am I hurting you?"

She made a move to get up, but Emma held her in place as she shook her head a no. "It's not you, it's me." She nodded, feeling a sting in her eyes. "I'm.I..I'm.." She trailed, breathing heavily. She tasted the salt in her mouth, and realized she'd started crying. "I'm broken." She finally said, her voice displaying a dangerous tone of finality.

"I'm broken," she said it as if there was no helping it, that she had no choice but to be broken. Her eyes were her telling for they were blank with desperation. No, not even desperation. She felt indifference to what happened, and to what will.

She looked up at the brunette, and smiled sadly. "Come back here." She offered her hand, and waited for Regina to take it, but when she didn't, Emma retreated her arm, and sighed. "I suppose you want to leave me now?" She asked rhetorically, waited for no answer, and rolled to her other side away from her professor.

The brunette stood in her track, she knew the younger woman had apparently gave up on life. But she wasn't sure of it, so she asked in hopes that she'd prove her wrong, "what are you saying?" She crawled up the bed, and sat up next to Emma. "What the hell are you saying, Miss Swan?" She asked again, but her voice sterner, and louder.

She snorted, "yeah, that's not gonna work with me. Not after I've seen you butt naked, with my tongue up your-"

Regina interjected her with a firm palm, slamming against the younger woman's forearm. "Shut up." She ordered, to which she received a death stare from the blonde.

"Shut. The. Fuck up." She punctuated, and her eyes darkened with anger. She was not about to babysit her lover, she thought. She could spend years taking care of her if she were to be paralyzed, nursing her if she got old, giving her what ever she wanted; money, clothes, sex, but she'd rather die than do this. Emma would have to get her shit together, so they could figure things out. Giving up was not an option.

Emma just stared at Regina, unable to form a coherent reply.

The brunette knew that she won't be able to be with Emma in this intimate way after today, but that didn't mean they won't be after she gets revenge on Gold. It was just a matter of time, she thought.

"When someone takes something from you, you take it back." She said, her voice a bit louder, "you don't just take it back, you grab it, and fucking snatch it from their hands. And when you're sure that you retrieved it, you grab whoever took it from you, and beat the living hell outta them." The older woman scolded.

The blonde sniffled, and let out a soft sob. "What if I can't get what they took away from me? What if it's out of my reach?" She asked, one hand covering her eyes, and the other clenched against her heart.

Regina reached for Emma's back, and rubbed gently. "Tell me." She said, her voice was as gentle as could be. "I'm here for you, Emma." She added.

They laid there, both unable to start a real conversation of any sort. Regina was still confused about the whole Emma's son revelation, but she was too grateful that Emma didn't suffer any life threatening injures for her to ask anything, and Emma was just too depressed for anything at all.

A moment passed, and Regina began, "what happened?" She asked, seeming clueless to the situation.

Emma snorted, and shrugged. "They say an accident." Her voice simply dismissing the subject as if it wasn't a big deal. "I'll live." She finished.

Regina rolled her eyes, and sighed. The blonde was being difficult. "Do you know who it was?"

"It's not important," she shrugged.

"It is to me." Regina whispered.

Emma was quiet for a good 3 minutes before she began, "they say I was supposed to die, but because I hit the brakes in time, I survived." She shifted slightly, so her face would be further away from the older woman, and she felt Regina pull back.

Emma rolled, and faced Regina once more. She draped her left arm over the brunette's torso, and pulled her back. "I guess they were the same people that took Henry." She finished, her voice almost inaudible. But Regina heard it all the same.

"Who's Henry?" She asked. She suspected that this was the son Penny had told her about, but it was important to keep up with her obliviousness.

The younger woman closed her eyes, and rested her head on the pillow, moving closer to the brunette. She looked like she was about to sleep, when she spoke again. Her voice warm, and she had a warm smile on her face. "Henry's my little brother." She said, and let her mind wander to the time she'd taken him out for his birthday. She chuckled, "Henry the 4th."

She continued, "although he's my little brother, he thinks I'm his mom. He calls me mommy..." She trailed, "I just can't..." She swallowed, "I can't help but think that he must have called for me when they took him, but I wasn't there. I didn't answer him..." Emma took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down.

Regina's eyes widened. So he was her brother, she thought, why would Penny… "Took him away?" Against her better judgment, she asked. "Who did?"

Emma's smile fell, and she slowly opened her eyes. She stared at the Regina, "I'm guessing whoever killed my mother, also kidnapped my baby brother." She said, her voice low, and her face grew darker with resent.

_I don't know why they didn't just kill me, though._

_I wouldn't have even moved._

_I would've been the better victim._

_I should've died in the crash._

_It should've been me!_

"I'm sorry," Regina apologized, and rubbed the younger woman's forearm, mentally cursing herself for not taking off the panda costume. She looked incredibly out of place, and rude to be having a serious conversation in this attire. "I want to help. Did they ask for a ransom? I will pay it, and we can-"

"-I don't want your money." Emma spat, "and apparently, they don't want it either." She continued, and looked away. "Plus, they don't know who did it." She nodded at the ceiling, and then looked back at Regina. "There's nothing you can do." She finished.

No, there's definitely something.

I will find who did this, and get your brother back.

I will fix this, Emma.

I promise.

"You don't know that. I could be of help, I'm very powerful if you didn't know." Regina said.

Emma looked at the brunette, and stared for a minute. She sighed, and began again, "tell me something, Regina." She pleaded with her eyes, begging the brunette for some sort of comfort.

The brunette knitted her brows, leaned down, and involuntarily kissed the corner of Emma's lips. She pulled back, "what do you want to know?" she whispered, her lips still hovering over Emma's.

Emma looked up at Regina, and bit her bottom lip, her question long forgotten. She locked her greens with browns in an intense gaze.

The older woman leaned down ever so slightly, and gave Emma a soft peck on the lips, then pulled away.

Emma released her bottom lip with a pop, leaned up, and gave Regina's lips a few chaste licks, before dropping her head back down, and resting on the bed.

They stared at each other, the clock on the wall ticking loudly with each second. This was a mistake. They shouldn't be doing this. One was married, the other was injured and, in Regina's mind, still a prostitute. Emma's boy was kidnapped, and Regina and her wife are in danger. It is definitely not the time for this.

And yet, Regina gulped, and leaned down, hovering again. "Emma…" She whispered against Emma's lips. "Do you trust me?" She asked, and brushed her lips against Emma's.

Emma leaned up, lacing her fingers through brown locks once more, and kissed Regina, moaning into her mouth. It lasted seconds; heavenly seconds filled with pleasure, before Emma pulled, letting her head fall onto the pillow. "Yes." Her voice was throaty.

Regina sighed, trying her best not to give in to temptations. This was not the time, nor the place for that. Emma needed her space, and she needed to distance herself from the younger woman if she were to leave. She debated her next move, but even as she did so, suddenly she was kissing the blonde again. Her lips passionately pressed against Emma's, and her hands messaging her breasts.

As realization hit, she blinked, and pushed herself away from the blonde. The action was so sudden, that she lost her balance, and tumbled to the floor. The panda costume softening the fall. She laid on her back, and sighed.

Emma got up quickly, ignoring the pain in her back, and crawled to the side of the bed. She peeked her head. "You okay?" She asked. "Did you get hurt?"

Regina shook her head a no, before she chuckled. "I'm a fucking panda, Emma. We climb trees, and defeat evil tigers." She tried to contain her laughter.

The blonde's eyes widened, staring at her professor in shock. "You watched Kung Fu Panda?" She asked, not believing the older woman's words for a second. "You didn't." Her mouth was agape.

Regina thought back to the day she watched it with Jeramy. It had been a few months back, and the little bear was begging her for a marathon. Although it was just the 2 sequels, but to a young boy like Jeramy, it was much.

She smiled, "yeah I did." She confirmed, and did a kung fu punch, and shifted so both her legs would fly in the air in an attempt to jump on her feet, but she failed. The brunette sighed, and with a grunt tried it again, but still failed. Well, she tried.

Emma burst out into laughter, and pounded her hand against the bed. Her head still hung in the air towards Regina. "You're adorable." She smiled, and extended her hand, "you just…" she trailed, unable to finish. "You…" He laughing becoming louder with each second. After a while, "Oh..oh…" She gasped, the pain kicking in again.

_I guess the bruises are not just for show._

"You okay?" Regina asked, and tried to get up. But was stopped, as Emma all but threw herself flat on top of Regina, rendering her immobile. "You're not going anywhere." She playfully whispered. "For tonight, you be my bed." She bit her bottom lip, and buried her face against Regina's neck. "I like my bed like I like my women." She flirted.

The older woman smirked, and chuckled. "What? Clumsy for you, and in a panda costume?" Regina joked, as she hugged the blonde, bringing her as close as humanly possible.

She chuckled, "No," Emma nuzzled her nose against Regina's neck. "Regina Mills, and fucking Regina Mills." She said, and nestled deeper into the warm body beneath her.

_Well, crap._

_How am I supposed to keep my hands to myself if we can't be in the same room without being all over each other?_

_Get it together, Regina._

_Get it together._


	12. Chapter 12

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

**Professor**

**12**

"What the hell do you mean he's not here?" Ruby spat, picking up the blueish ceramic vase that sat on the wooden table at the nursing home, and smashed it against the wall. The innocent object shattered, and struck the floor like thunder, pieces flying everywhere. "He's like my dad, and you're saying he's missing?"

"Calm down, Ruby." Ashley tried to put down the fire in her brunette friend. "Come on lets go. We can't make a scene here."

"Too late, Ash. I'm gonna burn this place to the ground if they don't give Emma's father back." She turned to face her blonde friend and her husband, "Henry's kidnapped, and now David's missing? No. I won't have it. Emma's gonna be released today, Ash, and what are we supposed to tell her?"

"Ma'am, p-please put down the vase. I called the police, and they're on their way. I suggest you stop this nonsense before they arrive." A tiny man grumbled, his head peaking from behind a counter some few meters away. "

"We tell her nothing, and we find her family." Ashly answered, completely disregarding the man's warning. She figured they're already in too deep, might as well go the distance.

"That's such a good idea, honey. It always works." Sean mocked, "why don't we tell her the elves took her father, and are celebrating christmas with him?" He looked around, and saw that everyone from the nursing staff had evacuated the common area, and are now standing at least 5 meters away from them.

"You think so, honey?" Ashly rolled her eyes, "good! Now be careful not to trip over your tutu skirt."

"That doesn't make sense, tutus are short." Sean chucked, "you're so silly!"

"That's what you have a problem with, Sean?" Ruby asked, and waited for no answer, "cause I have bad news for you." She looked at Ash, and grinned.

Ashley burst into laughter, "outta girl!" She walked over to the young brunette, and wrapped her arm over her shoulder. She took a deep breath, calming down her nerves as she shook the laughter off. "What are we gonna do?" She asked, her voice low and laced with worry. "Something is clearly off." She finished.

Ruby nodded, and looked ahead keeping an eye on the watching eyes. "Or someone." She said, slightly shaking at the idea of someone making a target out of her best friend. "And I think I know who did this."

Ashley looked over at Ruby, "who is it?"

"Henry the 4th, walking down the street~ Along came a bird, and danced to the beat~ Up came the sunshine, and dried up all the rain~ So Henry the 4th…" The little boy trailed off, with a thumb under his chin, and his brows knitted together. After a beat or two, "made friends with batman, and superman, and spiderman, and we all saved the world, and made chocolate chip pancakes, and we became best, best friends. Forever!" He finished in one breath, clapping his hands like a baby seal does in a water show.

"Hahaha." David laughed at his boy's little made-up song. "What about ironman, little man? Ironman is pretty cool." The middle-aged father asked, his mouth forming into a huge smile as he swept up his son, and tossed him in the air.

"Noooo~" Henry shrieked, "let me down~" he protested. Although he was was spouting protests like a karaoke machine, he was actually enjoying the affection he'd missed so much. It had been a few years since the little boy had some quality time with his father. It was the first time, actually. When David became ill, Henry was just a little bundle of flesh, could barely even stand.

"You don't like that?" He worriedly asked, slowly placing his son back on the armchair next to the coffee table. "I'm sorry, buddy. I won't do it again." He gently wiped the sweat droplets on his son's forehead, and smiled at him. David's heart was beating out of his chest. It was as if he'd just now seen his son, after a long time of unintentional slumber.

"It's okay," Henry said, defying his age once again. "Mommy dropped me once, and it was scary." He shrugged, mirroring Emma's behavior with every muscle movement.

David knitted his brows together, "mommy did that?" David asked, "Henry you remember mommy?" He added, grasping the young boy's hands, and kneeling in front of him. David smiled again, "what do you remember?"

Henry knitted his brows together, and narrowed his eyes. "Everything?" He said skeptically. "Why?" he asked, innocence reediting off his voice.

David shook his head, "I'm just so proud of you, buddy." He tightened his hold on his son's hands, "do you want to see Emma?" He asked after a moment of silence.

Henry nodded furiously, "I do! want to see Mommy!" In one quick motion, he got off the armchair, and headed for the door. "Are we gonna see her now?"

His father looked at him worriedly as he rose to his feet. "Honey," he began, "we can't see mommy. She's…she's away." He managed to puke out, "we can see your sister though. Emma." He finished, striding to his son.

The young brunet stared at his father for a very long time, before he uttered his next words. "Emma is my sister?" He innocently asked, his eyes simmering under the light of the chandelier, reflecting off the salty water forming inside his eyes. He gulped, and asked, "I thought Emma was mommy's name…Emma is not Henry's mommy?"

"Emma!" The nurse scolded, "break it off right now!" She sternly ordered as she looked away, allowing the brunette to get off the blonde. "This is a hospital! Penny didn't tell me you'd be humping like rabbits."

"Anushka!" Emma called for the Indian nurse that had been coming in and out of the hospital room like a guard, protecting the boss. "She was just lying down." The blonde embarrassedly stated, and extended her hand to the older woman that had stumbled on the floor for the umpteenth time this evening. "I'm sorry, Regina." She whispered.

The brunette stayed on the floor, closing her eyes tightly, and taking deep, small breaths in attempt to regulate her fast-paced beating heart. She was still the panda suit, keeping it as armor as to not take things as fast as they did the first time around. But even with the suit on, they could barely manage to keep their hands to themselves. Professor Mills was in a battle between morals, and her unstated desires for the blonde. It wasn't so much of a fight than it was a victim, lying on the ground, being kicked in the guts by a huge bully.

_I am not here._

_I am not here._

_I am not here._

_This is just a dream._

_I am not here._

_I am a professor._

_I am a respectable member of society._

_This is just a dream..._

"Oh, please. And that," she pointed to the smudged red on Emma's hospital gown, "is just you eating her lipstick because you were very hungry?"

_Well, I am hungry._

_But not for her lipstick._

Emma grinned. "Maybe." She bashfully answered.

The nurse shook her head, walked closer, and checked the monitor for any signs of trouble. "You're only here for 4 more hours, why not behave? Huh?" She asked, and pinched the blonde's forearm.

"Ouch!" Emma exclaimed, "what'd you do that for?" She asked, rubbing her quickly reddening arm.

"What happened!?" Regina sat up, and looked to her left. She raised her chin, and extended her neck to reach the blonde, "what did she do?" She asked, eyeing Emma's body.

"Nothing," Anushka chuckled, "just exam. Exam." She lied. "Lift your arm." She instructed, "do you feel any pain?" When Emma shook her head a no, she moved to the blonde's feet. "Move your feet." She said, and when Emma moved them, she beamed. "You are doing so well."

"Yeah…" Emma shrugged.

"That's good." Regina said, smiling at the younger woman. "Must be because you're in presence of-"

"-One of the hottest women in the world?" Emma interjected, finishing for Regina.

"No, it's because of the medicine that I give." Anushka said, giggling under her breath.

"Aww, so it wasn't because I'm in the presence of the beautiful Anushka?" Emma said, and tutted as she shook her head a no.

"What now?" Regina raised a brow, "didn't quite hear you, my darling." She said, eyeing the blonde with much blankness in her eyes.

"Ohhh, trouble. Trouble." Anushka teased, and chuckled her way out of the room, but not before she instructed the blonde to take it easy, and not to start humping as soon as she leaves to which she received a flying pillow.

Emma looked over at Regina, "come here." She motioned for the empty space next to her right side.

"Hmph," Regina rolled her eyes, and walked over to the window. "Get yourself another pillow." She casually shrugged, "I know," she said, her voice high pitched. "Maybe Anushka is available."

"What…?" Emma asked, her brows flying to the start of her hairline. "Don't tell me…" she trailed, slowly rising from the bed and tiptoeing to the brunette. The blonde hugged Regina from behind, and nuzzled her face in the Panda suit. "You're jealous?" She whispered, not really asking as much as stating.

"As if!" Professor immediately replied. "You are full of it, my dear." She said, but contradicted herself by grasping Emma's arms, and tightening the embrace around her waist. She heard the younger woman chuckle, "oh, shut it!"

"You say that, but I don't think you want me to shut up. You like my voice, and you call me 'my' this, and 'my' that." Emma stifled a giggle that threatened to erupt. "Emma, my dear. Emma, my darling. Emma, my sweetheart. You clearly have a sharing problem, Regina." The blonde smiled, "so…so…" she trailed. "Possessive."

_Which I find incredibly sexy, my Regina._

_I am yours._

_I am already yours._

Regina bit her bottom lip, not wanting to comment on the younger woman's theories. In all actuality, she had no grounds to stand on. Everything Emma said was a true fact. She did feel like Emma belonged to her, and she felt that way from the first time she'd met her. There was a huge problem, though.

Her back stiffened, and her arms dropped to her sides. "I am sharing you…" Regina stated, her voice barely audible. She turned turned around in Emma's arms, facing the blonde. "How many clients do you have?" She asked, her face stripped of any emotional indicators.

Emma cocked her head to the side, pondering in her thoughts.

Regina's eyes widened, "what? That many!?" She tried to break free from the younger woman's embrace, but failed.

"Between 7 and 10." Emma finally answered, "why?" She asked.

"Why!?" Regina's mouth fell agape, and she tried to break free again. "Let me go, miss Swan!" She gritted her teeth together.

She was Angry. She was furious, and her mind was throwing accusations at the younger woman at the speed of light, but she refused to voice them. Giving the dire situation, and the their current place, she was not about to have that conversation with the blonde. She had hoped that Emma would stop sleeping around with half the population of Boston. She thought she did. But hearing the blonde admit to doing so, well, she wasn't very thrilled.

Aside from all of that, she still wanted the blonde more than anything she wanted her entire life. If that said anything about her mindset in their odd relationship, it was that Regina needed Emma like she needs oxygen. Like fish needs water, like pandas needs bamboo, like the moon needs the sun. So she had no doubt in mind that she still wanted her even though the blonde's been sleeping around. She would have to find a way to convince her to stop, yes, but leave her? She would never do that. Well, she was going to leave tonight, but she wasn't completely gonna leave the younger woman. She was just protecting her.

_I guess love is blind._

Regina sighed, and her eyes widened as realization hit. And it hit her hard.

_What!?_

_Love?_

"Regina," Emma called as she saw panic creep its way across the brunette's face. "What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" The blonde still had her arms wrapped around Regina's waist.

"Nothing," the brunette exhaustingly said.

"Well, why did you want to know about my clients? Do you think one of them took Henry?" Emma asked.

Regina moved her head back, and locked eyes with the blonde. "You think one of your fuck buddies did this?" She sneered, and stared into Emma's greens with a hard expression. "Figures…"

"Excuse me!?" Emma let go of Regina, "fuck buddies? What the hell, Regina? I don't sleep with my clients!" Emma was offended, and her mental state was threatening to collapse on her.

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what hookers do!" Regina spat, and took a step back.

Emma's mouth fell agape, and her eyes widened. "Oh," she finally choked out, "yeah about that…" she trailed, looking away in all means to stifle her lingering chuckle. "I'm not really a hooker…" she mumbled.

"I'm sorry?" Regina asked, "I didn't hear you, my dear. What did you say?" She really didn't hear the blonde, but judging from Emma's demeanor, she figured it was something she'd have to scold her for.

"I'm not really a hooker…" Emma mumbled again.

Regina heard her this time, but she was still in shock. "Speak up! You're not a child."

"I said I'm not a hooker!" Emma exclaimed. "I. Am. Not. A. Hooker." She repeated.

The door behind them opened, and Anushka walked in. "Emma, someone's here to see you." She said, eyeing Regina. "What's this about a hooker?" She asked, "are you a hooker?" She addressed the professor.

Regina just chuckled, and flailed her arms in the air. "Visiting hours are way over. What do you mean someone's here to see her? She's leaving in the morning." She looked at the clock hanging on the wall, and realized that she only has 3 more hours to say goodbye. 2 if she wanted to leave before Emma's discharge time to avoid questions since she was, after all, the younger woman's professor.

"Says the woman who's visiting." Anushka rolled her eyes, and laughed. She looked over at Emma, "what should I tell them?" She asked.

"Them?" Emma pondered. She looked over at Regina, and wondered till when she's staying.

Regina understood what Emma was silently asking, and answered. "Till 6, then I have to go." Her gaze was glued to the floor, and her voice was low.

"Oh," was all Emma could say, feeling just a tiny bit more depressed than she was. She faced the nurse once more, "please tell them to come back around 6a.m." She said calmly, the knots in her stomach felt like a punch in the gut. Somehow, she knew. She knew the brunette was planning to leave, and stick with professionalism as a means to treat her in the future. No one would tolerate her this much if they were planning to stay.

"What do you mean she will see us in 2 hours?" Ruby spat, ready to fight another battle. They had been lucky that the officer in charge was someone Emma knew. So aside from a fine, he let them off with a warning, promising he'd do everything in his power to help find the blonde's father, and brother slash son.

_The power of all crushes, they had thought._

"Look here, this is not a hotel. I do not work for you." She rolled her eyes, "visiting hours are over anyway. I'm doing someone a favor, that's all." She finished, and turned and left them in the waiting area accompanied by other people waiting for their loved ones.

"Lets just wait," Ashly said. She slumped further into the grey, metal of a chair, and yawned. "We could use a nap." She closed her eyes, and dropped her head backwards.

Sean nodded, "lets wait," she glanced at Ruby, and then headed for the vending machine to get some snacks and coffee.

"I'll go with you," Ruby relented, and left with the blonde man. "I kinda get grumpy when I'm hungry." She said.

"Tell me about it," he said, intentionally lowering his voice, and evading the death stares directed towards him.

They walked over to the vending machine that nestled around the corner from the waiting area, and sighed as they saw a waiting line. "Get me something, will ya?" Ruby tiredly waved her hand, and walked over to the wall away from the small crowd. She leaned against it, and took out her phone to call August who had been babysitting Grace for the day. And night.

"Hey," she casually greeted. "What's up?"

August yawned, "what's up?" he repeated the question, "do you know what time is it? It's 5:20 in the morning…" He rolled his eyes, and yawned again.

"Oh," Ruby said, "I was just making sure everything was okay." She felt worried now that everyone seemed to be disappearing.

Sensing her worries, August replied, "don't worry, I won't disappear, too. Grace is sleeping in the couch, and I'm watching her closely. No one's gonna take either of us." He finished.

"Okay," Ruby felt reassured, "good. Well, I'll let you go back to sleep." She said, and hung up. The brunette looked up, and saw that Sean almost reached the vending machine.

Some minutes later, Ruby and Sean were walking back to the waiting area. They carried coffee cups, and snacks in both arms. The few children that were waiting with their family, looked up and eyed the treats. Ruby reflexively hugged the bag of chips, and chocolate bars closer to her body in an attempt to hide them from view.

Sean noticed the brunette's ministrations, and giggled. _Sometimes you're such a child_, he thought.

They reached Ashly, and saw that she was on the phone. "Who is it?" Sean asked.

"Uh-huh. Fine. Fine… Fine!" Ash exclaimed, and hung up. She looked up at her husband, "August," she answered.

"You called August?" Ruby asked, chuckling slightly. "I called him a few minutes ago, too." She said as she sat next to the blonde.

"So you made a card to sell yourself because you needed money?" Regina asked, her head cocked to the side.

Emma nodded, as she sat up in her bed.

"I see," Regina said. She strode to the blonde, and nudged her. "What on earth were you thinking?" She nudged her again.

Emma knitted her brows, "so it's okay to be a prostitute, but not a because I needed money?" She asked, avoiding the brunette's hand that had extended in a motion to nudge her again. Emma chuckled. "Missed."

"Of course." She said, and moved to sit across from the blonde on the tiny bed. Regina was immensely relieved, and her heart was beating out of her chest. Thank god, she prayed.

She sighed, and locked her honey eyes with Emma's greens. Regina extended her arm, and reached for the blonde's. "There are things in life that are so rare, and incredibly precious." She started, a small smiled plastered on her face. "Those things are so beautiful, and so everyone wants a little piece. But if everyone wants a piece at the same time, the object in question would break to pieces in order to satisfy the need of everyone. That's why sometimes you have to share, regardless of your feelings. Regardless of how much you love that object, you'd rather share than lose it, so you settle."

Emma looked down, breaking the gaze. She felt her eyes stinging, and her chest tightening. She knew that she was the object in question, and it made her weak in the body, and vulnerable in her heart. "I see," she chocked out, a single tear rolling down her cheeks.

Regina sighed again, and continued. "There are people who want to be shared, and want to satisfy everyone. But they do it because they want to, not because they need money." Regina tightened her hold on the younger woman's hand, urging her to look back at her.

Emma looked back at Regina, her vision blurry with salty water. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice throaty, and she feels a lump inside her throat. "I really am…" she added.

The older woman immediately plunged forward, and embraced the blonde. "Shhh, don't let it get to you. I'm just happy that you're mine." Regina let out, before she could put a leash on her words.

The blonde chuckled, and sank further into the bear hug. "I am," she whispered, sniffling a sob. "Completely," she pulled back slightly, and pressed a kiss on top of Regina's clavicle bone. "And utterly," she placed another kiss, climbing her way up, "and wholly," she throatily whispered, and kissed behind Regina's ear, "and fully," she kissed the brunette's jawline, and hovered over Regina's mouth, "yours." She finished, and felt Regina capture her lips in a bruising kiss.

Regina cupped Emma's cheeks, deepening their kiss. They had kissed plenty of times before, but never with this kind of incentive. The reassurance that they had meant to each other more than they cared to admit. The completeness they offered one another, the warmth, the love.

Emma moaned, sending a shiver down Regina's spine. Regina moaned in return, her cheeks wet with tears; tears that had acted on their own accord. They needed air, but neither one of them wanting to separate. At that moment, they were whole. Nothing else mattered, no one mattered, and the world was right again.

But humans need oxygen, so they pulled away concurrently, gasping for air. They still had their, now sweaty foreheads, softly pressed against one another. They were panting, and their chest heaved in a dance of affection that said, "this is how much you make me feel."

"I," Emma began, her lips trembling, "I don't want you to go…" she finally admitted, her voice low, and hitching at the end. "I…" she trailed again, not caring that she had started sobbing. "It's not fair, Regina…" She sniffled, and started to hiccup. "I…"

_I love you._

Regina silently allowed her tears to fall freely, her raising and falling chest the only indicator that she was crying. Her hands slowly trailed down to Emma's neck, caressing it with the painful of tenderness. She gasped for air, her panting escalating, and she brought her mouth closer to give the blonde a chaste kiss, the only reply she could offer.

"Me, too." Regina finally managed to choke out. "But, I have to go…" Regina said, her voice now low, and stripped of any emotion. Her hands retreated, and she pulled back fully, looking away from the blonde. She looked at the clock, and saw it read 5:56 a.m, "it's time," she blankly stated, and got off the bed.

Emma stared ahead, her head over heating. If she wasn't in a hospital, she'd probably check herself into one for what she was feeling right now. She now understood how people felt right before they died of a broken heart. Is she was asked what that felt like only 7 months ago, she would have laughed and said that people don't die of broken hearts. But now? Now she is sure that's what was happening to her.

She gulped, and made no motion to look at the brunette or hear what she had to say from goodbyes or whatever she was saying. All she had in mind, was the staggering pain that ripped through her heart muscle, and was traveling from organ to organ. From cell to cell, and bone to bone. She felt numb, and wanted to scream. She might have tried to scream, but she's sure that nothing came out.

She heard a door slam shut, Emma finally looked over to the door, and realized that Regina had already left. She stared at the door, her expression as blank as before the brunette had visited her, if not even darker. She was like a mechanical, ballerina doll that had been made for the sole purpose of spinning in circles. She had started out dead, and empty, then along came Regina, and charged her with a simple touch. She was functioning, she was happy. Now she's sad, and still again.

Regina left the room, putting the panda head back on. She walked down the hallway, and into the waiting area. How she got there? Why she got there? She didn't know, her legs were moving on their own. She felt something tugging at her leg. She looked down, and saw a small child smiling up at her. She cringed, "who's child is this?" She irritably asked, "is he yours?" She asked the closest man to the child.

"Mine? No, I was never lucky." The old man said, and went back to reading his paper.

"He's mine." A man came along, and wrapped his arm around the little boy. "I'm sorry, he's just attracted to your costume." The man tugged at his son, trying to drag him away.

Regina rolled her eyes, and mentally cursed herself for being such a jerk. "Wait," she exclaimed, and crouched down to the little boy's level. "What's your name, little boy?" She asked, the little boy didn't seem a day older than 4. He was a handsome brunet, sort of reminded her of Jeramy.

"I'm Henry the 4th." He said, "and you are?" He asked.

After a moment of silence, Regina chuckled, "I'm Regina, little man." She reached out, and ruffled his hair. "Why the 4th, though?" she asked.

"Because I'm 4 years old, duh!" He giggled, and played with the panda head. "Regina? That's a funny name for a panda." He beamed smiling, his missing teeth adding to his adorableness.

"Why is it funny?" She asked, incredibly interested by the little nugget. He was obviously smart for his own age.

"Because Regina means queen, and if you are a queen, then you can't be a panda. Pandas don't have queens. Bees do." He nodded, and pulled on the artificial fur on the side of the panda head. "This is not real, is it?"

Regina couldn't help but laugh, she was impressed by the little boy. His father joined in on the laughter, and shook his head. "It's not real, no." Regina answered.

"Good," Henry beamed. "Pandas are rare and precious. There are only a few left in the whole wide world." He sadly stated.

"Oh," Regina exclaimed, "then I'm gonna be a panda forever, and increase the numbers."

Henry chuckled, "you can't be a panda, you're a human." He gave her that duh-expression he gave before. "Humans live with the pandas, and take care of them because there are bad people who are hunting them."

His father sighed, "too much discovery channel." He said.

"Well, then. I'll be a human, and protect the pandas. I will live with them, and chase away the bad people." She finished, and ruffled his hair again.

Henry chuckled, "promise?" He held out his pinky.

Just as she was about to say something, a man in a dark suit came along, and interrupted their conversation. His hair was black, and he was missing a hand. "Excuse me," he said, addressing Regina, "I'll have to interrupt, milady." He looked at the little boy, then at his father. "David," he exclaimed, "you need to come with me." He locked his eyes with David, engaging in a silent conversation, threatening him.

David looked at Regina, and pulled his son closer as he did so. "Thank you," he said, and looked back at the man, "shall we?" He said, and protectively pulled his son even closer.

Regina watched the bunch disappear from view, and sighed. Something felt wrong, and she could sense it in every bone in her body. There was a voice in the back of her mind, urging her to turn around and go back to the blonde. It had been screaming at her since she left the room, and now it was just quite unsettling.

She turned around, and debated herself. This was proving to be the hardest choice she had to make. Aside from watching the blonde leave the first time around, this was at the top of the list for most painful memories. She looked back at the direction of the exit, and then back to the direction that leads to her Emma.

_What if I go back, and they end up hurting Emma?_

_What if I go back, and they end up kidnapping Emma?_

_What if I go back, and they end up killing Emma?_

She cringed at the thought, and shook her head. This all seemed too familiar. She had let go of the blonde once, and look how that turned out. She sighed, still feeling that she had to go back. The voice wouldn't go away, or back down. It told her that the only thing she had to do, was to be next to Emma. She had to be next to Emma, right now! She had to live with her, and protect her from the world, from herself, and from the bad guys.

_But what if I don't go back, and they end up hurting her anyway?_

_But what if I don't go back, and they end up kidnapping her anyway?_

_But what if I don't go back, and they end up killing her anyway?_

She looked up, and her eyes widened. Her feet had, once again, moved on their own accord and had brought her back to Emma's room. She gasped, and pressed her forehead against the cold door. "Emma," she whispered. The breath caught in her lungs, refusing to travel back out of her body. She shifted her weight from leg to leg, and sighed. She looked up, and with one final hesitant moment, she opened the door.


	13. Chapter 13

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

13

"Remind me why you can't stay in my guest room?" Regina asked, as she ushered Emma inside her own apartment. One hand tucked under an elbow, and the other engulfing the blonde in a semi hug. "You would have your own room and bath. We also have a hot tub, and a game room."

Emma chuckled, "that sounds like a good deal. How much for the whole package?"

Regina rolled her eyes, but smiled nonetheless.

The younger woman struggled to get to the couch, pushing Regina slightly away so she could get there. "Because it wouldn't be right, Regina." Emma answered as she slipped out of her coat, and draped it on the armrest. The coat bounced off, and fell on the floor leaving a dust in its place. Emma coughed sharply, "I guess Ashly got bored…" She murmured.

Regina frowned, "Who's Ashly? And why wouldn't it be right?" The older woman bit on her bottom lip, "there are people after you, Emma. I can't leave you alone. You might think that you're tough and all, but you're a woman." Regina cocked her head to the side, and watched as Emma stretched her legs and arms. She channeled Regina a glance, asking with her eyes, "see something you like?"

The brunette bit her bottom lip, answering with a smirk that said, "I'd like to fuck you right now, please."

"And you're not a woman?" The blonde was slightly offended, and she had every right. Regina clearly thought, if opportunity presented itself, that she'd be able to somehow overpower the younger woman. "I'm stronger than you think I am. I chase bad guys for a living, Regina. It's kind of my thing." She told her, and finally finished her routine of 5-minute exercise and lazily laid on the couch. "Don't worry. If anyone comes knocking on my door, I'll knock them down." She closed her eyes.

A knock sounded on the door, and both of the women turned to look back. Ruby, Ashly, Sean and August came through the door. They carried grocery bags, and what seemed like 2 sets of a 6-pack.

Regina turned to face the blonde, disregarding the bunch, "we're not done here." She said as she walked closer to the blonde, picking up her discarded jacket that had been collecting dust for the past 5 minutes. "You never told me who this Ashly person is." She reminded, and sat next to the blonde's feet, bringing them over her lap.

"What's that?" Ashly asked.

"Regina, meet Ashley. Ash, meet Regina." Emma waved her friend's direction, and then proceeded to introduce her other friends. The blonde didn't get the chance to introduce Regina back at the hospital. They were both busy admiring each other's lips, that Anushka had to break the happy couple, and send them on their way.

At 6:50 a.m, Ash, Ruby, and Sean had been sleeping like babies in the waiting area. So when Emma was discharged at 7:30 a.m, she spotted the three dozing off, and woke them up, but she immediately left to catch up with her professor that had been waiting in the Benz upfront. By 7:45 a.m, Regina was in her car, the blonde was in the passenger's seat, and after fighting like an old married couple, they settled to head to Emma's place, but Regina would visit her whenever she felt like it.

"Nice to meet you, Regina." Ashley said through gritted teeth. Of course she knew exactly who Regina was, and what she was; fucking married. "So nice to finally put a face to the name." She lied, and extended her hand.

The brunette eyed the hand, then looked back at Emma. "She's the roommate?" She asked, feeling slightly relieved that Ashley clearly didn't fall under Emma's type.

Emma shook her head a no, "she's the friend from work, the one I told you about." The blonde knitted her brows together, and nodded towards the still extended hand. The blonde scooted closer, and whispered, "the married one, Regina. She's straight."

Professor stared at Emma, "you make it sound like that's the only reason you didn't sleep with her." She whispered, and her eyes darkened in color.

"Oh for God's sake," Emma whispered, and pinched Regina's forearm.

The older woman flinched, and rolled her eyes. She got up to shake Ashley's hand, but took her time studying the blue-eyed blonde, someone who she still considered a rival. When it came to her Emma, though, everyone was a rival. And given the fact that she had, and for a very long time, thought her blonde's occupation was prostitution, well then, she had every right to think so. "Regina," she introduced herself, and accepted the proffered hand. She moved to the 2 other friends of Emma, and mirrored the same act. Her smile said, "Who the hell are you?." Her eyes said, "Emma's mine," and her handshake said, "back the hell off."

"O-kay..." Ruby mumbled, and rolled her eyes. "Ems, honey. Do you want anything to eat?" She walked towards the blonde, and past Regina. Ruby kneeled down, and took the blonde's hands into hers. She smiled, "I got you peanut butter, jam, grape juice, vanilla ice cream, and 2 bear claws." She wiggled her brows, and winked at Emma. "And, of course, crazy amounts of beer."

The older brunette cringed at the list of ways to possibly get diabetes, and inhaled deeply.

_Control your emotions, Regina._

Emma sighed. Ruby never really learned how to hide things from the blonde. There was a lot of signs that told Emma what her best friend was really thinking. The usual indicators; the treats, beer, Ruby's tone, and her sudden increase in skin-ship. Although she was more collected now, Ruby had the same panicking aura that she had when Henry went missing. "What happened?" The blonde tiredly asked. She knew something was wrong.

"What? What do you mean? Nothing happened. Nothing." Ruby answered in one breath, looking away from her friend, and started to raise off the floor.

Emma frowned, and sighed. "Yeah something happened, Rubes. You want to tell me what it is, or would you prefer I discover on my own?" Emma rolled her eyes, and slowly got up on her feet, rubbing Regina's forearm in apology. "You always do that. It's not fair, we're friends. We don't keep things from each other." She slowly stood, shaking her head at Regina who had stood next to her, offering her some assistant.

Regina closed her eyes at Emma's admission.

_You don't keep things from each other?_

_That close?_

_Control your emotions, Regina._

She wished she was somewhere else, because apparently everything made her mad with jealousy now. She backed away, and sat back down. The brunette swallowed the lump that had formed inside her throat, closed her eyes, and went to her happy place; the abandoned apple tree in the closed agriculture department. She always went there whenever she felt upset, and right now was no exception.

Next to the fridge, Ash and Sean stood, awkwardly listening in to one of Emma's and Ruby's usual fights. Ash turned to her husband, "we should go, and maybe come back later." She whispered, "I'm thinking this fight will be so much bigger than usual." Sean merely nodded in agreement, and sighed. They both moved to Emma's side, kissed her forehead goodbye, and left. Emma didn't even notice the couple, and Regina's jealousy doubled ten folds.

_Control your emotions, Regina._

"Oh, because of that one time, now it's all the time I do this?" Ruby gritted her teeth, and moved closer to the blonde. "I'm sorry," she said, "but I'm not hiding anything. I don't do that to the people I love, and the people I consider family." Ruby knew this was a cheap card, but she chose to use it anyway. "I don't stab you in the back, or deceive you into believing I was someone else, when I was just a bitch-."

"-You leave her out of this." Emma shoved Ruby, and continued. "I know what you're doing, Ruby. Don't change the subject, and then get defensive about it. I know something happened, just tell me what it is. Did they..." she trailed, "did they find Henry...?" She reluctantly asked, praying that her friend was not about to tell her Henry's body was found. "Just tell me what happened!?" Emma broke, unable to withstand the tension, and pressure any longer.

It's your dad!, Ruby wanted to yell out, he's missing. But the younger brunette held it in, her eyes tearing up. Things got a bit out of hand, and she went about it the wrong way. She just wanted to make sure Emma had everything she needed, and was set until she and the rest of the gang could find David and Henry. Their disappearance was definitely linked. A blind person would know that.

The reason Emma was not informed of her father's disappearance was because she had been in a coma for almost 3 days, and only woke up yesterday. It was something normal of an accident patient, but since the coma was induced by shock, it was better that she was not briefed. Now, however, it was her friends' job to let her know of the situation. Ruby stared at Emma for a long time, before she relented. Now was not a good time to tell her. The best she could do, was find her best friend's father before she's forced to tell her he was missing. "Emma…" Ruby began, but was cut off by Regina's shoulder bumping hers, as the professor stood next to the blonde.

"Miss Swan?" Regina started, placing both her palms against her student's cold cheeks,"how are you feeling?" She asked, Emma's face was pale, and yellowish. "Do we need to go back to the hospital?"

"Emma!?" Ruby exclaimed, not knowing how to react. "What's going on?"

The blonde shook her head a no, "I'm just hungry, I think." She managed to choke out.

"I'll get you something to eat." Ruby immediately said, and turned to leave for the kitchen.

"Wait," Regina exclaimed. She was not about to let her feed her Emma junk food, and sugar little-devils in disguise. The brunette reached for Ruby's shoulder, and patted her. "I'll take it from here." She told her, and before Ruby could object, Regina leaned closer, "I'm sure you don't want to tell her whatever she wants to know." She whispered, and leaned back with the most adorable, fake smile she could muster.

Ruby gritted her teeth, and snorted. "Like that's the reason why." She murmured under her breath, but warmed up to the idea that she, indeed, should leave while she could. She looked over Regina's shoulder, and smiled sadly at Emma. "Em, I have to go now. But I'll see you later, okay?" When she received a weak nod from the blonde, she turned and without another word left the apartment.

* * *

"Are you feeling better?" Regina asked after Ruby had left. The professor gave Emma some apple juice, and watched as the younger woman returned to her pinkish color. She sighed, happy that it was just hunger and not something else. The brunette made sure to prepare a proper meal for her student; and if she counted their first encounter, this would be the second time Emma had tried her home cooked food. And if she was counting, technically this was the 3rd time they had shared food, and technically this was considered to be their 3rd date. Technically.

"I am," Emma answered with weak smile. "I feel sleepy, though. I wish I didn't have to take that disgusting thing you gave me."

Regina chuckled,"you mean the medicine."

"Debatable!" Emma shot, "it could have been poison. I don't know. You don't know."

"Ah, maybe it was poison." Regina exaggerated a worried look, but crawled up and placed a soft kiss against Emma's forehead. "The anecdote," she whispered, and moved her hands to message Emma's other foot. They'd been lying in bed, Regina taking care of the blonde; giving here messages, helping her with her bathroom breaks, she even made her club sandwiches for dinner, and made sure Emma would be left with plenty of left-overs.

Emma groaned, "I thought we were gonna wait until your divorce is final." She muttered with a low voice, not very convincingly reminding the brunette about their agreement back at the hospital.

Regina's mouth fell open, "it was a pure kiss, Swan. Get your head out of the gutter." She told her, and continued kneading Emma's toes with a little bit more force than before.

Emma just chuckled, her mind already shutting down as she allowed it to trail back to the hospital, remembering.

* * *

_"Emma…" Regina exclaimed, as she took off her panda head. "I can't do this. I can't leave you again."_

_The blonde had been lying exactly where Regina had left her earlier, and was staring ahead like one of the machines from that movie iRobot; lifeless, her eyes blank with no real goal in sight. She heard her name being called, and felt her body shaking. She wasn't cold, and she was sure she wasn't doing all the shaking; not intentionally that is. She frowned, and in a sudden moment, a sharp pain pierced through her ear, bringing back all her senses. She gasped, closing her eyes. When she opened them, she was met with a crying Regina._

_"Regina?" She called, as if she were seeing her for the very first time. "Is that you?" She asked, "I've been waiting for you."_

_Regina's face colored with alarm, "I'm right here, Emma." She gathered the younger woman in her arms, and embraced her tightly. The blonde seemed like she had been rewind, and the reset button had been none other than Regina's devastating, unexplained, sudden leave. "I'm right here." She repeated._

_"Regina?" Emma called again._

_"I'm right here, Emma. I'm right here."_

_"Is that you?"_

_"It is. I am right here, I won't leave again."_

_"Regina?" Emma called again, "is that you?"_

_The brunette pulled back, and gasped as she saw Emma's eyes trained ahead, and unfocused. She looked…_

_Dead._

_This was dangerous, Regina knew that once someone's decided that they don't care anymore; once they've given up on life; once they've lost about everything that was good, then it would be immensely hard going back. As a psychologist, she understood. Luckily, she knew what to do; and she had to do it fast. The young professor drew back, and with one quick motion, she slapped Emma hard across the face._

_Emma gasped hard, and coughed at the sudden intake of oxygen. "What the hell!?" She yelled, as soon as she calmed down a bit. "What the hell Regina? You break my heart, and now you're trying to break my face?"_

_"No, that was not what I was going for." She shook her head, stifling a giggle, and at the same time she was trying not to cry. It was a strange emotion._

_The younger woman flailed her arms in the air, "what the hell were you going for, then? And why are you back? Just go, I don't need you here." She told her, and turned her face so she wouldn't have to look at Regina's beautiful mussed up hair, and perfect plumb lips. She wanted to put her foot down, and now was the time for it. No more kisses, those little, evil distractions._

_Regina just sighed, and situated herself so she would be nestled next to Emma. "I have to tell you something. But I need you to promise me that you don't tell anyone." She started, avoiding eye contact with the blonde._

_Emma rolled her eyes, "does it have to do with you sleeping with your student, and then breaking her heart? Ouch!"_

_The older woman pinched Emma, and started again. "You have to promise me not to tell anyone." She told her, "it's very important, Emma."_

_To that, Emma's head snapped to her right, and she asked worriedly, "what's wrong? Please don't tell me you're dying…"_

_Regina shook her head, and looked over at Emma. "Promise me."_

_"I promise." Emma answered immediately._

_The older woman smiled, "I'm getting a divorce in a couple of months." She said, her smile widening as she saw the reaction on Emma's face._

_"So…this means…?" Emma trailed, not really registering the newfound information. She was happy that the brunette left because of something/someone else rather than the reason of not liking her enough. But she was still pissed off, "I don't care what it means. You left." She added._

_Regina felt bitter, "please don't be like that. It is far more complicated than that. I'm actually putting someone's life at risk by just being with you in the same room." She admitted, her eyes stinging._

_"What does that mean?" Emma was lost for words like a child who's just starting to learn. Her mind was short circulating, and she felt 10 times more slow than she really is. She knew she should be asking the more obvious questions, like who's life is in danger? Why are you getting a divorce? Why didn't you tell me about this sooner? But all she could truly understand is that Regina came back for her, and she found that that was all that mattered to her._

_"It means that we can be together," she held up a hand to Emma's face, and caressed her cheek. "Well, in a few months that is."_

_"What do you mean?"_

_"Uh...no sex. It means no sex."_

_"You have got to be kidding me. We can't keep our hands to ourselves for 5 fucking minutes, and you expect me to go without sex for 2-3 months?" Emma rolled her eyes. "We won't last for 2 days, mock my words." She chuckled._

_"I never said it was for 2-3 months?"_

_"Is it like less?" Emma asked._

_Regina stayed silent._

_"Oh come on." Emma chuckled, "there's no way you're gonna last more than 3 months without sex."_

_"Is that so?" Regina raised her brows, "I think not, miss Swan. I lasted 7 months without you before, and I will do it again."_

_Emma was on cloud nine from the inside, knowing that Regina didn't go with anyone else other than her. She felt the tears threatening to fall, but she pushed them to the back of her head, saving them for some other time, "Is that a challenge?" She teased._

_"Oh, that's a challenge."_

_"Fine, Regina. You're on."_

_"I'm definitely on!"_

_"I get it. You're on."_

_"I am! That's what I said."_

_"Maybe we can start the challenge once I'm discharged?" Emma asked shyly, really not wanting to lose the bet, but at the same time she was incredibly turned on, just like Regina was. She opened her mouth to say something, but was met with Regina's lips against hers. She accepted the kiss, but chuckled a bit._

_"Shut up, we don't have much time." Regina said between kisses._

_Emma glanced up at the clock, and her eyes widened, they really didn't have much time. Her hands shot up; one tugging behind Regina's neck, and the other bringing her professor's head closer, deepening their kiss. The brunette moaned as she felt Emma's tongue sneak its way inside her mouth._

_"How can I get enough of you in just a couple of minutes?"_

_"You won't. I won't, too."_

_They made out; urgently, passionately, needly, not stopping for more than a second to inhale. And when they did stop for much needed oxygen, they did it concurrently so, so they wouldn't waste a second of the pure bliss of pleasure they felt. After all, both of them were too stubborn to admit that they were definitely not going to last months and months without at least kissing. There was no way._


	14. Chapter 14

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

14

Regina waited until Emma was asleep before she untangled herself from the blonde. She glanced at the clock, and it read 2 p.m. It had been the first day Emma was back, and the brunette had been accompanying the younger woman for almost a whole day. Regina, however, needed sleep, and she needed to shower.

In the hallway, she took out her phone to check her messages. She knew Penny had called once or twice, and it was finally time to have the talk with her wife and friend.

After a few rings, the redhead picked up, "Regina?

"Mmm."

"How are you doing, honey? How's Emma?"

"Emma is fine, she just fell asleep." Regina fiddled with her nails, and started off to the kitchen.

"They discharged her? That's good."

"Mmm."

There was an awkward silence, and then Penny broke it. She knew Regina was sulking, and she found it adorable that she only did that around her. "What is it that you wanted to say, honey?" She urged.

Regina was quiet for a full minute, then she relented. "Where are you right now?" She asked, not wanting to have this conversation over the phone. It was more of a face-to-face conversation; preferably in the company of alcohol.

Penny thought about her answer for a while, really not wanting to tell the brunette her whereabouts. "I'm…" She trailed.

Hearing water splash, "Are you home?" The brunette asked.

The redhead sighed. She wasn't sure what to call the house they've been occupying for the past 7 months. Though it was Regina's, she did feel at home. But now that Emma was back, Penny felt like a third wheel; she was in the way, and it made her feel unwanted. "Yes. Jeramy's taking a nap, and I'm in the tub. Do you need something?"

"Another bath?" Regina chuckled, "I don't need anything, but we do need to talk."

"Alright, we can grab lunch at Gummy's."

Regina rolled her eyes, "Why do you insist on eating there? That place is a-"

"-Germ magnet. I know." Penny chuckled, "I promised Jeramy. Plus, with what you're about to tell me, I think you owe me one." She finished.

Regina stared at the kitchen ceiling for a moment, "Hmm. Fine, we can have lunch there. I'll be home in a few." She heard another water splash, "What is it with you and the everyday hot baths?" She teased. "You're costing me a fortune."

Penny smiled, "I'm sorry."

"I was joking, Penny."

"I know. I'm still sorry."

"For what? You didn't do anything."

The redhead sighed, "Hmm." She took a deep breath, "Alright, darling. I'll see you when you get home."

"I'll see you then."

"Drive safely." And with that Penny hung up.

Regina sat on one of the stools in the kitchen, and buried her face in her hands. After a moment, she straightened her back, and shook her head. It was time to face the music, she thought. She turned to the couch to grab her coat. The place was filled with dust, and she made a mental note to come back after she'd gotten a couple hours of sleep to clean up Emma's apartment.

She looked around, taking in the place attentively for the first time. She noticed a photo frame on the side table. From 2 meters afar, she could tell from the blonde curls in the photo that it was indeed her Emma. "Adorable." She murmured as she brought the picture closer to her face. After a moment, she put it back down, and wondered if there were other photos she could see.

"Aha!" She exclaimed. On the other side of the couch, on the table laid a different photo frame. Regina grabbed it, and as soon the frame was in her field of vision, she gasped. Her hands wrapped around the red wooden frame, and her eyes widened. "Henry the fourth," she whispered, her heart beating out of her chest.

The photo was of Henry, seemingly on his 4th birthday party. Emma sat in a booth, and around her were her friends she had met earlier in the day. Regina's mind went back to when she first talked to Emma:

_"Henry's my little brother."_

_"Henry the 4th."_

Regina put the frame back down, and went straight to Emma's bedroom. She went inside, ignoring any manners that told her to wait until Emma was awake, and sat on the bed next to the younger woman's head.

"Emma," she whispered, placing a palm against Emma's forehead. "Emma?" She called, but the blonde was far too tired, so Regina sighed and decided to tell her the good, not-so-good news when Emma had had her rest.

With that, Regina left the younger woman's apartment.

* * *

"So, what did you want to tell me?" Penny asked as she glanced over to Regina who was sitting on the other side of the booth. The restaurant was another favorite of Jeramy's, and his mother spoiled the little boy to no ends. One of the perks of being a lonely child.

"Not now." Regina said, ruffling Jeramy's hair. She wanted to tell her wife that she'd continue to see Emma, but now was not the time. Regina Mills is fierce, and a strong woman who did whatever she wanted to do, but in the face of kids, she knew compassion and mercy. How was she going to tell them that she plans on leaving the house to take care of Emma?

Penny smiled, and nodded. She leaned over to the other side, and leveled her eyes with Jeramy. "Honey, remember what I told you earlier?"

Jeramy nodded, and gave Regina a side hug. "I do," he said, and buried his face against the brunette's coat. He looked up after a few beats, and pursed his lips together. "It's okay, mama bear. Mommy told me that you have to go for a while."

Regina's eyes widened, and she shook her head. "I'm not leaving the house." She said before she could stop herself. She certainly wanted to take care of Emma, who's in dire need of her help, and protection, but that didn't mean that she was going to leave.

"You're leaving?" Penny exclaimed.

"No, I'm not." Regina shot back quickly, "Jeramy thinks that I am. What did you tell him?"

"I certainly didn't tell him that you'll leave." Penny knitted her brows together, and crossed her arms.

"Who said anything about leaving?" Regina's voice dropped an octave.

"You did." Penny answered flatly. When the brunette's face paled in realization, the redhead sighed. "I just told him that you'll be busy for the next couple of weeks, and that you might bring a friend over."

Jeramy looked up at Regina, "And if you bring a friend over, I would have to be very nice to them." He smiled a toothy smile, and then looked over to his mother.

Regina released the breath she'd been holding, and slumped her shoulders. She felt bad, and she really wished they'd had this conversation in a place that didn't scream happy, and was dipped in 50 shades of rainbow. Kids were everywhere, and that made her unsettled. She hugged Jeramy, and kissed his forehead. "Thank you baby bear. You really are the best." She kissed his nose.

She looked up, and held her gaze with her friend. "I'm sorry," she mouthed to the redhead.

Penny just shook her head, and smiled at Regina. "Anything for my favorite woman." She winked, then chuckled.

Regina colored in red, then chuckled with Penny.

* * *

"Hey! Wake up!" Ashley flicked her husband's forehead, and rolled her eyes. Sean slept like a cadaver, and sometimes he even smelled the part. "Wake up you lazy bastard." She playfully shoved him. Ash had been trying to wake him up for the past 30 minutes, "If you wake up I'll give you morning sex." But still nothing. She sighed, and climbed to the other side of the bed. She clutched the blanket, and with both her feet she rolled her husband out of bed.

Sean fell to the floor with a thud, "Shit! What the hell Ash?"

"We have guests, remember?" It's true. After they had left Emma's place, they all agreed to meet at Ashley's place for lunch. But when she came back home, she found her husband asleep, fully clothed. "I cooked. Come eat." She pursed her lips, shrugged and walked back to the living room.

"Awake yet?" Ruby asked.

Ashly nodded, "Sometimes I get so scared I want to call 911. He sleeps like a rock."

August chuckled, "That bad?"

"Yeah." The blonde nodded, and slowly lowered herself on the floor. The center table was filled with maps, and what looked like a blueprint of some sort. "Now, where were we?"

"We cleared this area here, and now we're left wiiiiiith…" Ruby trailed, "All of this area." She sighed. "That's a lot of ground to cover."

August nodded, "I'm not worried though. I have a strong feeling that we'll find them."

"It can't be a coincident that BOTH Henry, AND David went missing at the same time." Sean said, as he sauntered to the living room.

* * *

"You have a class tomorrow." Regina sounded through the phone. It was 9:12 p.m, and Regina wanted to let Emma know that her family was okay, so she called. But apparently Emma was having a small gathering at her place, and it sounded like she was a little bit drunk. More tipsy than drunk, really.

"Mm, how did you know?"

"I'm Regina Mills." She chuckled. "I just know stuff."

"O-of course, professor." Emma feigned fear, "I'm so sorry for doubting you."

Regina rolled her eyes in affection, "We can't have that, miss Swan. You are way out of line."

"I realize my mistake, professor. I'm so sorry, and I'll do anything to make it up for you." Emma walked away from her friends, and to her bedroom and dropped on her bed. With the lights still off, and the buzzing in her head, it almost felt like a date.

Be careful what you wish for, Regina thought. "Anything?"

"Anything," Emma confirmed immediately.

Regina pondered in her thoughts for a while, "Would you eat a bug?"

"Done that, and would do it again if you asked." Emma sounded far too proud.

Regina tutted, "That is quite disgusting, miss Swan."

"Hey, you asked. I'm just being honest." She chuckled, and took off her boots.

"Fair enough." The brunette huffed, "Would you take a beating for me?"

"I would," Emma immediately answered.

Regina gasped slightly at the younger woman's honesty and sincerity of her voice. To say she was happy is an understatement. She could have sworn that her heart almost jumped out of her chest, and fell into her hands. The brunette wasn't used to being treated in a way that made her feel like a queen. True, she had a lot of admirers, but most of them would most certainly not take a beating for her. "That was quick, are you sure you don't need a minute to think about it?"

"Nope. I'm sure."

"Fine," Regina told her, "Well, would you give me your last bear claw?"

"Hmmmmmm, that's a tough one." Emma trailed, giggling.

"You would take a beating in my place, but you wouldn't give me your precious bear claw?"

"I never said that!" Emma exclaimed. Her voice was loud, and Ruby peeked her head inside the room. When Emma shook her head that she was fine, her roommate giggled and closed the door, making the room pitch black. Emma felt like a teenager who was sneaking around behind her parents to meet her teacher for a love affair.

She gulped, that was exactly what this was.

"It was implied!" The older woman pouted. "You didn't have to say it."

"Of course, I'd give you my last bear claw. I'm just fucking surprised that you wouldn't want to share it with me."

Regina grinned, "That's because I never said I'd do anything for you. It was you who said that."

Emma shook her head, "That hurt, Regina."

"Don't take it to heart, my dear. I'm only teasing." The older woman smiled, of course she would do anything for the blonde.

"Fine!" Emma pouted. "What else?"

"Hmm," the brunette thought hard about her next question. She smirked, "Would you run the streets naked for me?"

"Aaa, I probably would." Emma blushed.

Regina bit on her bottom lip, and hummed.

She chuckled, "Are you imagining me running around naked?" Emma asked.

"Maybe." Regina inhaled deeply. "I am." She whispered into the phone.

"That's not good, you'll lose the challenge." Emma warned in her most seductive voice. "We don't want that, professor Mills."

"You don't play fair." Regina pouted, "And I won't lose anything, my darling."

"If you say so." Emma smirked, not knowing that she was walking right into Regina's carefully planned trap.

"I do say so." Regina laughed.

Emma joined in, "Oh, please tell me how you'll do that? If I recall, you had far less self control that I did."

The brunette tutted, "Not true, but I'll tell you how I'll win." She looked around, and brought the cell closer to her mouth. She moaned into the device, and chuckled at Emma's groan. "Would you walk to the parking lot 2 block from your home right now, find my car, and fuck me till I can't walk straight?" She told her in a ragged breath, with her thighs crossed tightly.

Emma gasped, and rose from the bed at the speed of light. She got up, and her head swam in daze making her almost tumble into the floor. She steadied her steps, and struggled to put on her boots, "Are you being serious right now? Do not fuck with me, Regina."

"Well, do not make me wait, Emma. I might just take care of myself."

"Don't you dare!" Emma groaned. With that, Regina hung up the phone.

Professor patiently waited in her car for Emma to show up. She had inspected the area, and was sure that there were no cameras around, and more importantly, there were no people. The building was old, and only 3 apartments were rented. Looking up, she could see that 2 of the apartments had their lights off, and the third was on, but she made her home work and she knew that a Chinese family lived there, and she had nothing to worry about. They didn't even know English.

She glanced at her watch, it read 9:55 p.m. It had been roughly 3 minutes since she hung up on the blonde, and she was sure that Emma would show up in another 3-4 minutes. It didn't take much time from Emma's place to the parking lot. She dropped her head backwards, and sighed.

A knock on her window jarred her out of her calmness, she looked over and saw that it was Emma. She looked back at the clock, and grinned.

"Let me in." Emma said, "Let me in the car right now."

Regina's grin grew wider, "What will you do if I let you in?"

Emma bit on her lip, and locked her eyes with Regina. "Something I can't say out loud."

"Do try," the brunette teased.

Emma shrugged. This was nothing to her. She just didn't want to embarrass Regina. "I will start with those fucking lips, and I will kiss you senseless you wouldn't be able to breathe. Your lips would be sore for days. Then I will rip that shirt off. I won't even care if anyone stopped and stared at us, because no one would be able to stop me. In my mind, there will be only you and me. I will take you, fuck you, and suck on your-" Her words died in her mouth as she saw Regina swiftly get out of the car. The blonde smirked, and cocked her head to the side in victory, "Professor Mills."

Regina stared at Emma for a very long time, before she averted her dilated eyes. She licked her lips, and without a word she got in the back seat, and lied on her back.

Emma got the message, and climbed on top of Regina, closing the door behind her. She locked her eyes with Regina's, and smiled widely. "Hey," she said, and moved a stray brown lock and tucked it behind her lover's ear.

"Hello," Regina said after a few moments.

Emma lowered her body, making it flush with the older woman. Their heartbeats mingled together. "I'm going to kiss you now, if you don't mind." She whispered directly in Regina's ear, her voice low, and seductive.

Regina groaned, "You would do that?" She asked, her voice low, husky, and laced with want.

The blonde grabbed a fistful of brown locks, and gently pulled. Regina's head dropped backwards, and she let out a low moan whens he felt Emma's knee press into her center. "I thought I told you I'd do anything." Emma possessively said, "Any. Thing." She breathed hot, and heavy against Regina's shivering lips, before she crashed their lips together in a bruising kiss.

Regina moaned wantonly, her tongue sneaking into Emma's open mouth. She tasted of beer and blood. The brunette wasn't sure who's blood it was, but she found that she didn't really care. Her hands shot up, and she deepened their kiss.

Emma broke the kiss, and attached her lips to Regina's neck. Her fingers sneaking between the buttons, with one motion, she ripped the brunette's shirt wide open much like she had promised before. When Regina groaned in response, Emma smiled in victory, and sucked harder on the skin; marking her lover, marking her Regina.

Regina's hand found Emma's jeans, and she struggled with the button. "Damn it!" She exclaimed, "Take this off!"

The younger woman chuckled, and hovered over the brunette, "Going for the kill already?"

The professor brought her right hand to her lips, "These," she said, and slowly slipped her fingers inside her mouth. She closed her eyes, and sucked on her middle and ring finger. After a beat or two, she let them out with a pop and a low whimper. She locked her eyes with Emma's, "Need to be inside of you. Right. Now."

Emma whimpered to the sight, her eyes grew darker, and she quickly removed her leather jacket. She unbuttoned her jeans, and uglily wiggled until the pants pooled around her boots. Not wasting a moment, she pulled on Regina's pants until they were out of the way, and reattached their lips in an urgent kiss.

This was more about passion, and Regina confirming their attraction for one another than it was about love or any big word in their future. This was about Regina doing everything she could to make her lover forget about Henry, and just enjoy herself. It was about Regina telling the blonde that she wasn't alone.

In every and any way, it was about Emma.

The brunette's hands shot up, and she brought Emma flush with her once more. Her hand between their sweaty bodies, cupping Emma's wet-with-need sex. Emma moaned loudly, and grind herself against Regina's hand. The older woman wasted no time, and inserted two fingers inside her lover's most sensitive part.

"Fuck!" Emma groaned at the sudden intrusion, and with one motion, she reached down and inserted her own two fingers inside Regina's wet core. "Fuck, Regina. You're so wet!" She said, felling hot liquid slip through her fingers.

"Shut up," Regina managed to let out, and quickened her thrusts. She moaned to the sounds her, and Emma's fingers made.

Regina snapped her eyes open, "kiss me!" She pouted.

Emma kissed her instantly, and they both moaned into each other's mouthes, sending vibrations all the way to their wet cores. Their kissing became a sloppy mess, so Emma broke away, and latched into Regina's earlobe, sucking it hard. Their chests were heaving, and their pants grew in intensity, but shortened in length.

Regina's free hand cupped Emma's breast over her clothes, and mentally cursed herself for not taking her shirt off. So she grabbed Emma's bottom instead, pushed her down as much as it is humanly possible for two human to be this close, and not melt into one another.

Emma released Regina's earlobe, and whimpered. "Regina," she called, "Regina!"

The professor hummed against Emma's neck, "Emma!" She called, and in that moment, they reached their peaks together. Their bodies shook to the elevated hormonal levels, and they called each other's names like it's the first, and last time they'll ever say it.


	15. Chapter 15

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

**A/N: This is the last of the old chapters. Next week will be a new chapter. This one's a bit long, future chapters will be shorter. **

**Hope you enjoyed this one! **

* * *

Professor

15

It is very hard for newfound lovers to maintain their distance from one another when they're not even remotely done with the honeymoon period of their relationship. Those couple of first dates where they usually can't keep their hands to themselves, wanting each other like air; the stolen moments whenever one of them visits the other at work or school; the thrill of being found out only adds to the lust and love; the late night phone calls, talking about everything, and about nothing; the silly nicknames; the flirting; the butterflies.

To be fair, Regina and Emma hadn't even started all of this. They'd been faced with all sorts of hurdles in their lives, that if you look closely at it; the couple never spent more than a few days together. Less than 3 days in total, and the rest was spent drowning in agony for being apart apart.

Such a waste of time, really. Though aside from Emma growing up, one good thing will come from all of this, once they've taken care of their dreadful situations, they'd probably steer away from drama for the rest of their lives. Somehow they knew that they wanted to be in each other's future.

"Why am I here?" Emma asked as she slipped inside Regina's house. "I don't think it's such a good idea, Regina." She shook her head, and stood still. "I better go before your wife gets here. I don't want to intrude."

Regina sighed for the umpteenth time, and rolled her eyes. "I told you. You're not intruding." She grabbed Emma's hand, and dragged her to the couch.

"I am if I'm sleeping with a married woman." Emma pouted.

Regina ignored her. The younger woman was being stubborn, and the brunette was done with that. "Sit," she ordered. "I'll get your bag from the car." She gently pushed Emma on the couch, and moved to the door.

_I can't let you live alone._

_What if something happened and I wasn't there to protect you?_

Emma fidgeted in her seat, trying to get comfortable. She knew that deep down inside, she actually wanted to stay with Regina, but this was too much. She wasn't a home wrecker, and she was most certainly not a jerk who'd sleep with a married woman in her own house; in her own bed which she shared with another. If she looked closely inside her heart, Emma would find that the reason why she was refusing was because she was jealous of Penny sharing a bed with her Regina. But Emma was too stubborn to notice.

After a couple of minutes, Regina came back with Emma's bag. "Are you sure you got everything?" She asked, eyeing the small, red duffle bag, "It's awfully small."

The blonde chuckled. She had lived with far less in the past. She was homeless for crying out loud, but no, she will never tell Regina how she used to live. "I guess I can go back and get more stuff later. If it'll make you feel better." She shrugged.

Regina nodded, and dragged her feet to the kitchen. She was exhausted. She had parted with the blonde after their late-night, mind-blowing fornication. The professor had went back home, completely forgetting to tell Emma about her brother and father, and of course, she had stayed up, worrying. Her conversations with Penny were also tiring. The redhead forbid Regina from telling Emma the truth behind their marriage, and the brunette was insisting until late at night.

But that was that. She needed to tell Emma bout her family. She didn't want to tell her over the phone, and she certainly didn't want to tell one of her friends. Then an idea hit her; why not bring Emma to her house, cook her dinner, introduce her to Penny and Jeramy, and then tell her the good news that her family was safe?

_When did I become such a romantic?_ She had thought.

"Now, Penny will be here in a few hours. I have to pick up Jeramy in about 30 minutes. Do you want to come with me, or would you prefer to stay here?" Regina asked. It was almost 11 a.m on a Friday. Emma was lucky that Regina had Fridays off; or more like she had little work, so it was so much easier to skip it altogether.

"I think I'll go meet up with my friend." Emma pushed on her thighs, and got up to her feet.

Professor held a hand up, and stopped the blonde from going any further. "So you're coming with me then?" Completely ignoring Emma's wishes.

Emma froze, "No, I'll go meet up with my friends. Why? Did you want me to go with you?"

In all honesty? No. Regina wanted to buy some groceries to cook for Emma, but now that her blonde was meeting with 'friends', Regina suddenly felt jealous. "No, it's alright. You go and have fun." The brunette gave her a fake smile, and turned to leave.

"Well, wait." Emma caught up with Regina, "Are you mad at me?" She asked, her cheeks puffy and rosy.

The brunette resisted the urge to laugh, and smiled instead. She shook her head, cupped Emma's face, and kissed her gently. "I'm not," she whispered, hovering on Emma's lips. "I just don't want to be separated from you." She pulled back, not wanting to get too sucked in, and her hands found Emma's lower back. "But, I also want you to be happy, even if that meant that you want to be with your friends. I'm already forcing you to live here." She motioned with her hand to the house.

"You're not forcing me," the blonde's hands shot up, and she hugged Regina. "I want to be with you, and if being here meant that you'll be happy, then so be it." She placed a soft peck on the base of her professor's neck, and hummed in approval.

Regina smiled.

* * *

"Jeramy, over here." She called as she slipped out of the Benz.

"Mama bear!" He said, and strode towards Regina. He jumped the last couple of steps, and the brunette caught him. "Are you here to give Jeramy ice cream?" He said, licking his lips enthusiastically.

"Hmmm, I wonder." She said, "What would your mom do if I gave you ice cream?"

"Mom gives me ice cream all the time." He beamed proudly, "We had ice cream yesterday, and the day before yesterday, and then on the day before before yesterday…" He trailed and counted on his tiny little fingers that looked more like a doll's hand than a baby boy's.

"Aaaa, I had ice cream all week." He shrugged, and hugged Regina tighter.

The professor thought it weird, but then again children would so blatantly lie to get what they want. "Sweetie, I can't give you ice cream, but want to go shopping?" She asked as she walked back to the car.

Jearmy nodded, "Yes! I want some fishy." He said, fastening his seatbelt around his kids chair.

Regina looked back through the mirror, "Did mommy teach you that?" She asked, "How to buckle your seatbelt?"

The little boy nodded, and unbuckled his belt, "Like this." He concentrated, and buckled his seatbelt again. "Did you see?" He asked.

Regina clapped her hands, "Good boy!" She clapped some more. She really was proud of him. For once.

Jeramy gave her a sad smile. She didn't know how many times the little baby bear had told her to look back so he'd show her that he knew how to buckle his belt; that he was a big boy, and that his mom had taught him well. But Regina was too occupied with losing Emma, that she never noticed. She was like a zombie; going about in life like nothing mattered. Now that the blonde was back, Regina was beginning to take note on these little details she failed to notice before. The little things she needed to know.

* * *

"Hello, Fisherman." The young boy greeted the old man behind the table. "I need two fishys." He held up 2 fingers, and stretched his arm happily towards the man.

During the past 2 weeks, Penny had been taking Jeramy to the supermarket so he'd get his free sample of chicken nuggets. At first, the young boy didn't want to eat them because he said they were real fish, they had feelings, and he didn't want to kill them. The old man reassured him, and told him that he was actually saving them by eating the fishys because they'd live inside his tummy. From that day onwards, Jeramy insisted to save as many fishys as he could. He had saved 20 so far.

"Hello, Jeramy. Looking really handsome today." The old man greeted back, "Here you go." He gave him two fried chicken nuggets that looked like fish. They were samples.

Jeramy chuckled, "Mommy says I'm always handsome!"

"She's quite right, young boy." The old man smiled a toothy smile. "Where's your mommy?" He asked, noticing that Penny wasn't with him.

The little boy smiled sadly, "She's away." He said, and fidgeted with his shirt as he looked down. "But my other mom is with me," he pointed to Regina who was just 2-3 meters away, looking at a box of cereal.

"Is that so." The old man cringed, and looked to the other customer; a middle aged woman who was waiting in line. "Next!" He said.

"Go away," the woman scolded, addressing Jeramy. She had her hair pulled up in a gray pun, and she wore glasses.

Jeramy looked confused. After a beat, he nodded, and left the line.

"They're walking amongst us like they're real people." The woman said as she approached the table.

The old man nodded, "Too bad the little kid was such a nice boy. They're going to dirty him with their upside down thinking, and 'modern' ideas. Jesus is disappointed."

"Tell me about it!" The woman snorted, "We should sign somewhere so we could get rid of them. Maybe imprison them, and keep them away from the sun. They don't deserve the sun. Or air." She laughed.

The man laughed, too. "Tell me where to sign!"

Jeramy listened in, and when he heard some curse words, and shouting, he decided to go stand by his mom's side.

"You got everything you need?" Regina asked as Jeramy strutted back to her.

Jeramy nodded, and hugged Regina's leg.

"What's wrong?" She asked, and crouched down to his level. "Are you not feeling well?"

He nodded, and hugged her tighter.

"Okay, baby boy. I'll take you to the hospital." She said, and abandoned the can of beans she had in her hand on the nearest shelf. "Come here,: she said, and carried him.

She walked back to the medicine aisle, and grabbed some aspirin. They were out. Then she hurried back to the counter, past the old man and old woman who were still engaging in a heated conversation. The middle aged woman looked towards Regina, and pointed, "Is that her?" She asked the man, not bothering to lower her voice.

Regina didn't pay them any attention, and put Jeramy down so she could reach for her wallet to pay. "Can you break a twenty?" She asked.

The cashier girl smiled, and nodded. "Sure."

"Here you go." Regina handed the green. "Thank you," she said when she received the change.

Just as they were about to leave, "YOU'RE NOT SAVING THE FISH, YOU'RE ACTUALLY KILLING THEM." The old man yelled, and Regina turned to eye him. She didn't know what he was sprouting about, and she didn't care. She just wanted to get Jeramy to the hospital.

* * *

"Are you feeling better, honey?" Regina asked. She had to stop on the side of the road when Jeramy suddenly started puking. After he was done, Regina took him to the emergency room. Now there were on their way back home.

"Mmm," the young boy nodded, and smiled a toothy smile.

"The doctor said that you just have an upset stomach, so don't worry you're gonna be just fine." Professor smiled, and ruffled his hair.

"Okay," the boy said.

Regina nodded in confirmation, reached to buckle his belt, and moved to go inside the driver's seat. There was something very sad about a 3 year old knowing how to buckle his belt, Regina thought. She prayed he won't tell her that he knew how to ride a bicycle, or she would probably get him tested. Maybe he was a genius.

Well, her plans were ruined. Sometimes you just don't get what you want no matter how hard you try. She'd have to settle for take-out, or home delivery. She glanced at her watch, it was almost 2 p.m, and Penny was almost home, and she better got home before Emma was, so she'd spare the both of them the awkwardness of it all.

* * *

"You're kidding!" Emma smacked her hands on the table, "There's no way that you got that hand 3 times in a row!" She shook her head.

"I'm sorry. Are you calling me a liar?" Penny said, and discarded the cards on the table. "Sore loser," she chuckled.

Emma's eyes grew wide, "I am not!" She exclaimed, "You're obviously cheating. No one gets a flush 3 times in row. Impossible." She cringed at her choice of words, but Penny didn't notice.

"Possible. It just happened to me." The older woman grinned, "You really are a sore-"

"-I'm not a sore loser." Emma cut in. She looked down at the discarded cards, and sighed. "Just shuffle the cards, I need beer." She moved to the kitchen, "Are you sure you don't want one?" She asked, yelling a little.

"I'm sure." The redhead answered as Emma was making her way back to the table. "I'm afraid of what you'll do if I win again." She admitted, chuckling as she did so. "I need to stay sober."

"I'd probably rob your house." The blonde joked.

Penny's eyes shot up, "I doubt that. If you wanted to rob us, you would have done that a long time ago."

Emma's eyes narrowed at the 'us', realizing that Regina had a life before her. She was dating at some point; engaged at another; and then married. "Regina told you?"

"About the key, and the check?" Penny asked. "No. Well, not entirely." she answered when Emma nodded. "The key was Regina's plan to get you back after your first night together. I take it the check was part of the 'plan', too."

"Is that why she gave it to me?" Emma swallowed the lump that had formed inside her throat, "Because I didn't know what to make of it."

Penny looked at the younger woman from under her lashes, "How much was it?" She hesitatingly asked. "I handle the finance, and the only reason I knew about the check was that Regina had contacted the bank asking if anyone cashed it in. Naturally, they called and informed me."

Emma looked away, "It's not much."

"I doubt that. Regina said that if it didn't work, that she'd have to move and start all over somewhere else."

Emma shook her head, "No, it's really not much. I don't think she was affected by our night together as much as I was." She looked away. This was about the most uncomfortable she'd been.

Penny noticed the blonde fidgeting, and sighed. "Tell me something to make me trust you, and I'll tell you one of my secrets that will affect you for the rest of your life." She stated gathering the cards, and shuffling them.

The blonde stared at Penny for a good 5 minutes, before she relented. She was more curious about the 'secret' than her own pathetic story about the check. It really wasn't anything, "Well, that day she thought I was a hooker. But I wasn't. Obviously…"

Penny nodded, and made eye contact with Emma.

"It's a long story, but ultimately she asked me how much for the night, and I said she could pay me whatever amount she thought I was worth. I was broke at the time, living in my car," She paused.

"And?" Penny was intrigued.

"Well, she gave me this." Emma reached inside her jacket, and pulled the check, sliding it to the redhead. "Apparently I was worth nothing…" she looked away, a blush creeping its way across her face.

Penny's eyes widened. "She gave you this?"

Emma nodded.

"And you think this means she doesn't like you?" Penny's voice was rather too serious now.

Emma nodded again. "Yes," she whispered, feeling a bit judged. "I was obviously worth nothing."

Penny burst into laughter, "That's not what it means, silly. It means you're worth everything." She told her. "You can literally write any amount, and you can legally get it. Regina already signed the check."

Emma held her gaze with the brunette, and her eyes watered. "No, it means that I wasn't worth it." She weakly argued.

The redhead shook her head, and leaned forward. "It means 'I trust you'. It means 'I don't want you to go'. It means 'call me', and it means that she likes you."

The younger woman looked away, tears already rolling down here face. She never really thought to see it that way. She just thought that Regina wasn't really all that interested in her. She knew they both felt something for one another, but she was sure that because the brunette saw her as a hooker, that she'd never want to date her for real. But knowing that being a hooker wasn't going to stop the brunette from wanting her, didn't stop her, well, that felt really good.

Penny watched as Emma tried to recompose herself. She finally saw what her friend saw in Emma. She smiled, and her shoulder slumped. She wasn't about to stand in the way of two people who were genuinely in love.

_I guess there's no use of keeping it a secret any longer._

"It's a fake marriage." The redhead said, her voice low and serious. "It's a long story, but we're not lovers, and we've never been lovers. In order to help me, and herself out of a life threatening situation, Regina married me." She looked away, then back at Emma.

Emma shook her head.

"It's true, Emma. You can be with her now. Well, you can't be with her, you're still her student." She chuckled.

* * *

Regina came home an hour later with Italian take-out for Lunch. She knew Penny wasn't going to eat without her, and she knew Emma would wait for her as well, so she hurried home in the speed of light. Or close to it. Jeramy had fallen asleep in his seat. Thank God he wasn't awake or he would have witnessed the brunette break about 20 traffic rules; all was to get home before Penny and Emma started pulling each other's hair out.

Entering the house, she saw a faint figure of Emma in the corner of the living room. She had her head buried against her knees, and her arms hugging her legs. Holy shit, she thought, what the hell happened?

"What happened here!?" Regina asked in a whisper as she whisked Penny away from a crying Emma. "Why's she crying?"

Penny eyed Jeramy who was cradling the brunette's shoulder, his head atop hers, and was sleeping like a rock. "What happened to him?" She asked as she reached for her son. "Emma's fine. She's just a bit emotional at the moment."

"Why's that?" Regina slowly lowered Jeramy, and handed him to the redhead. "He got sick, and I took him to the emergency room."

"And you didn't call me!?" Penny shrieked, and stared at her friend.

"I didn't cause it was nothing, really. He just had an upset stomach because he ate chicken nugget samples from the supermarket. The doctor said he will be just fine, that he doesn't even need medication but gave him some for the ache to shut me up."

Regina shrugged, turned away from the blonde who was occupying a corner, "What happened with Emma?" She asked, already forming an idea of what might have happened. Ruby, or another friend of hers must have told her about her father going missing. She was wondering when Emma was going to have a proper melt down; not that she wished for it, but she was a Psychology major, and these things were to be expected.

"She got a phone call." Penny said sadly, "You should talk to her. I tried, but…" she trailed, and Regina got the picture.

The brunette nodded, "Thank you," she said, and patted Jeramy on the back, reminding herself to ask Penny about the fishys and the old man at the market because no matter how much she wanted to think it was nothing, she couldn't help but feel like it was something.

"Emma," she crouched down next to her student, "What happened?" She asked as she pulled on the blonde's forearm.

The younger woman stayed still, but relented to answer after a few beats. "My father," was all she could get out before a sob escaped her lips.

"Oh, Emma!" Regina felt guilty for not telling her sooner, "He's okay. I saw him." That got the blonde's attention, and she snapped her head up, "I saw him when we were at the hospital." Regina continued, "He was with Henry." She gave her her best smile, it was warm. "Henry the 4th," she corrected.

The blonde opened her mouth a couple of times, before she choked out, "What?" Her voice was husky, hoarse, and her eyes watered once more. "How?"

"I think he was there to see you, and we accidentally met. How I know it was them? Well, when we went to your apartment yesterday, I saw a picture, and then I remembered that you called your brother Henry the 4th before, and I put the pieces together." She looked away for a while, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you right away, I wanted to cook you dinner first, and then…" she trailed, "You know what, it doesn't matter." She shook her head, and waited for Emma's reaction to play.

Emma was quiet for a very long time. She didn't know what to make of it; it all sounded too surreal if she was being honest. She let out a low sigh that resembled a whisper, "are you sure?" She looked straight ahead, avoiding the brunette as much as possible. The blonde didn't know if she was angry with Regina, or if she wanted to kiss her. Maybe both.

The older woman nodded, "I'm sure…and I'm sorry I didn't tell you." She placed her right palm against Emma's cheek, and leaned closer. "It's good news, Emma. It means they're together, and they're alive." She gave her a lingering kiss on her forehead.

That seemed to have worked for Emma. She inhaled sharply, and started giggling like an animated character out of a cartoon. "They're okay," she exclaimed, and continued with her laughter. "They're alive," she repeatedly said.

Regina's brows rose to her forehead, and she gaped at the blonde. "Yes. They're okay. We're okay." she said, and embraced Emma in a bear hug.

Emma accepted the hug, her arms wrapped around Regina like an octopus, eliciting a low chuckle from the brunette. She pulled back after a while, and smiled brightly. "I missed you," she shyly whispered.

The professor pulled Emma from her waist, and attached their lips in an urgent, feverish kiss."I missed you, too."

* * *

**6:12 p.m:**

"Why can't we tell the police?" The blonde inquired again, "I think if they look into the surveillance footage, they can get a glimpse of what the man you saw him with my dad looks like."

"We can look at the footage ourselves." Regina said.

"We can. But if you want to better your chances at catching this man, then don't tell the police. I know…" Penny trailed, looking away from the brunette and Emma. She sighed, _ta hell with it!_ "I know about your mother's murder case. She was falsely blamed for killing a man."

"How do you know that?" Emma immediately shot back.

Regina's eyes widened, but she kept quiet. Amongst the three, she had the least knowledge about Emma's past.

"I know for sure that Mr Gold implicated your mother to make it seem that it was she who killed the worker at Gold's Toy Factory, when in fact the man had accidentally died while operating a machine there." She paused, and smiled sadly at Emma, "Your mother worked as a supervisor there."

"Manager," Emma corrected, her eyes unfocused and blackened with anger as she remembered the day the cops arrested her mother. "Kimberly was his name. A man named Kimberly, can you believe it?"

It was a rhetorical question, Penny knew that. "Yeah," she said, "Very strange indeed." She placed a hand atop Emma's that was sitting on the kitchen table, "And…I think the machine was faulty, and so when Kimberly died they needed someone to take the blame for his death. That's why…"

"That's why…" Emma repeated.

"Mr Gold is having money issues, and me and Regina hold more than half the shares at Gold's Enterprise." Penny added.

At that, Emma's head snapped to Regina, and she pondered in her thoughts for a while. "So…" she began with a low voice, "You're not rich, you're filthy rich?"

Regina looked down, and bit on her lip to keep from smiling. "I suppose I am. Yes…"

Emma nodded, just now feeling the heavy importance of the blank check she'd received from the brunette. She could have robbed Regina clean, and she could have done it legally. The idea that she had the chance, and that she still could if she wanted to, made her giddy somehow. The things one finds a semblance of peace in are sometimes the strangest.

Penny let out a chuckle, her dimples appearing for the first time today. "You understand now?" She addressed the blonde.

The youngest woman blushed, and shrugged shyly. "I guess…"

Regina deciding that it was enough heavy burden for the time being, she excused herself to the her room for a quick nap. She glanced at Emma for a few beats, then disappeared into the darkness of the hallway leading to her room. She and Penny mostly occupied the first floor.

Emma tapped her fingers on the surface of the table, still not processing what she had just learned. On one hand, this was progress, but on the other, she still didn't understand why she couldn't call the cops. True, the whole thing smelled like dirty public figures were involved, but she couldn't help but think; _maybe._

A few minutes passed, and Penny cleared her throat, "What's on your mind?" She asked when Emma gave her her attention.

The blonde shook her head, "Nothing, really. I'm just a bit…" She trailed for nearly a minute.

"Overwhelmed?"

"That's the word!" Emma exclaimed, letting out a tired sigh. "I mean I could use about a dozen beer right this moment."

Penny chuckled, "Why don't you?" Not that she encouraged alcohol to student; which what Emma was, a student. However, the blonde did need a comforter, she just didn't know that someone had already applied for the position.

Emma snorted, "I don't know, because it's my first day here and Regina would kill me?"

The redhead burst into laughter, clapping her hands like a 5 year old who had just won a free cotton candy. "I think she'll kill you for a different reason, dear."

"What?" Emma was confused, "What do you mean?"

Ten more minutes passed, Penny smiled; her dimples showing for the second time today. "I like you. You're very…" She trailed looking for the right word, "…pure." She finished.

The blonde immediately blushed, her self consciousness elevating greatly, "Umm…thank you." She said, her head snapping to Regina who had just came into view.

"I was thirsty," she said, glancing at Emma for a few beats.

Emma smiled at her, and watched as the brunette made her way back to her room. After a few beats, she went back to address Penny. "What do you mean she'll kill me for a different reason?"

The redhead smirked, "Because the only thing left for Regina to do, is come out and say it flatly." She smiled amusingly, and sighed. Young love, she thought.

"Say what?"

"Come to bed." Penny laughed. "She wants you to come to bed."

Emma's eyes widened, "Oh…" She said, "You mean all this time…"

Penny nodded, and chuckled, once more her dimples framing her beautiful face for the third time.

* * *

"Regina," Emma called as she peeked her head inside the door. "Are you awake?" She asked, noticing the splashing sounds coming from the en-suit bathroom. She gulped, and made her way there.

"Regina," she called again.

The brunette was dipped in the claw-shaped tub that was filled with lavender bubbles, her head dropped backwards, exposing her pulsating neck as her slender arms clutched at the edges. The vanilla invaded Emma's nose, and Regina smirked as she felt her eyes on her body.

"Miss Swan," she began, her eyes slowly fluttering open. "May I ask what took you so long?

Emma's eyes were trained on Regina's neck, her pupils dilating with complete, and utter lust. How on earth can a person get so turned on in a split of a second, she thought. "Professor Mills," she said, her eyes drawing down to one of Regina's exposed breasts amidst the blanket of bubble that looked delicious enough to eat; the whole thing felt like a scene out of a movie, really.

The blonde hummed, their endeavors to sate their oppressed desires at the parking lot, did nothing but add to their insatiable need. True, it had been nothing less than mind-blowingly incredible, but it was still not the same as taking their time to savor the moment and each other like how they did once before.

Emma inhaled sharply, her lips were suddenly very dry; chapped as all moister evaporated. "I am sorry to inform you that your girlfriend could be identified by none other than her stupidity should anything happen to her."

The older woman bit on her lip to keep herself from smiling. Girlfriend, she liked that term. Emma was just too adorable sometimes. "That's not an excuse, Miss Swan. I don't like waiting, and you made me wait." She shifted her body so one of her legs would peak through the bubbles.

Emma was panting at this point; she didn't look like a happy puppy, but she came close to. "Yes.. I was bad, professor. Please…" She trailed, her body shivering slightly, "Punish me." She wholeheartedly offered, her voice a mere exasperated moan.

Regina smirked seductively, and shook her head. Emma had no idea what she was in for, "I thought you'd never ask." She tutted as she rose from the tub, exposing her naked form completely. If this was a movie, Regina imagined there'd be a choir singing hallelujah in one corner, a clapping crowd, and sisters in a another corner praising the lord. "Come here," she extended her right arm, and the younger woman rushed to accept it instantly.

The brunette started unbuttoning Emma's shirt, her wet hands already making the blonde whimper with anticipation. After the garment was recklessly thrown on the floor, her bra followed. "Take off your boots," she ordered.

Regina's finger threaded through the hoop of Emma's jeans, "Now this." Emma struggled with the button, her fingers shaking as she did so.

Professor watched, her hands on the blonde's abdomen, slowly tracing her ribcage. She looked up at her from under her lashes, "Relax." She breathed out.

Emma let out the breath she'd been holding, and finally got ahold of the button. She took off her pants, and her spiderman boy shorts followed. Fucking great, she thought. Why on earth did she think it was a good idea to chose comfort over beauty, she'll never know. Mentally kicking herself, her greens found Regina's browns, and she blushed. Regina was obviously muffling a giggle.

The older woman got out of the tub, and came back with her bathrobe's belt. "Hands behind your back," when Emma complied, Regina reached behind the blonde's back and placed her arms atop one another before she tied them together. For a moment, she looked up at Emma, wondering if this was a good idea or not. She leaned up, "Does it hurt?" She whispered against her girlfriend's ear.

The younger woman shook her head enthusiastically, "No." She whispered back.

Just liked that, Regina pulled back, completely back in character. "Get in," she ordered.

Emma got in, with professor's help, she sat inside the tub, her legs extending to the other side.

Regina smirked, and sat on the other side of the tub, pulling on the drain as she did so. When the water reached down to their bottoms, she pushed the drain tub back into place. Bubbles were still hovering inside, she scooped up some in her hand, and started spreading it on her right thigh.

The blonde watched, not caring that she was drooling inside her mouth. "What are you doing?" She asked, praying to all Gods that Regina wasn't about to do what she thought she will do.

Regina's hands stilled on her thigh, and her eyes shot up; they were filled with determination, lust, and a hint of annoyance. She slowly spread her legs wider, rested her left arm on the edge, and her right hand cupped her right breast, squeezing it softly.

Emma watched, her mouth agape. "Regina," she called. "Untie me," her voice pleading.

The brunette chuckled, her voice resonating inside the room. "No," she said. "You made me wait, now professor will teach you a lesson on waiting, Miss Swan." Her hand left her breast, and trailed down to her wet sex. Her fingers softly stroking her sensitive nub. She inhaled sharply at the touch, and bit on her lower lip.

The younger woman tried to plunge forward, but Regina pushed her away with her left foot. She tutted, "You don't get to touch," her feet sliding down Emma's body, until she pressed it firmly against Emma's wet center.

The blonde let out a moan instantly, "Fuck, Regina. Untie me!"

"Miss Swan! I am your professor." Regina scolded, "How highly inappropriate!" She said as she continued to draw circles against her bundle of nerves. She hummed, her thighs shuddering with anticipation. The brunette looked down, evading her girlfriend's face; she was sure Emma's stares alone were enough to send her over the edge, but she wasn't going to let it end too soon.

Emma struggled to get to Regina once more, but the brunette's leg kept her in place. When the blonde moved her hips to create fraction with the brunette's feet, the professor took it away.

"Untie me!"

"No," Regina shot back, her fingers teasing her entrance.

Emma gasped, "Don't," she warned. "Let me do it."

Regina smirked, and entered herself with 2 fingers. Her head fell back, and she let out a loud moan.

"Don't," Emma pleaded in a whimper.

"Don't what?" Regina asked, her fingers sliding in and out in an agonizingly slow motion.

Emma fidgeted in place, watching as Regina's pace grew faster. "Regina," she whispered. The blonde's throbbing center was making her whole body insanely shaky. Every contact she had with the brunette's flesh, was burning hot, sending flames to her brain.

"Fuck," Regina groaned, "Emma…" She panted over and over.

"Regina, fucking untie me right now!" Emma practically yelled. "This is going too far!"

The brunette ignored her, and quickened her pace. This was too much for her as well, and she didn't think it would turn her on to this extent. She closed her eyes, and listened to Emma's pants and groans. In one motion, she reached for her g-spot, and pressed her palm flat against her nub. Along with Emma calling her name, her head dropped further backwards, and she came hard.

After a minute of nothing but both of their pants in the air, she looked up and saw that Emma was panting, and covered in blood. "Emma!" She called, and reached for her girlfriend. She untied her hands, and helped her out of the bathroom.

* * *

"Let me get this straight," the blonde doctor began with a hint of smile on his lips. "You were intimate, and she," he pointed at Emma who was lying on the hospital bed, sipping orange juice, "Passed out?"

Regina looked away, her face blushing feverishly. "Yes," she admitted. "There was a lot of blood, so I brought her here."

"Well," the doctor chuckled, "She's just fine. Her body over heated, and she got a nose bleed. That's all. She'll be discharged after an hour or so." He reassured the couple, and left the room.

"Untie me, I said." Emma let out a sarcastic sigh.

"Don't," Regina said, "I feel bad as is, I don't need my girlfriend to rub it in my face as well."

"Oh, no." Emma shook her head, sipping the last of the juice. "I won't be rubbing any of you any time soon."

"What?" Regina turned to face Emma, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means I won't have sex with you, girlfriend." Emma smirked. That was a lie, she still wanted to have sex with her right this moment. She fantasized about the things she'd do to Regina once her arms were free; but at this point a lesson was much needed.

Regina snorted, "is that so? We'll see then. You lost the challenge once, and you'll lose it again." That was a lie, she didn't want to go off sex again. It was practically impossible, really, but a lesson was much needed here, so she went along with it.

"Oh, will I?" The blonde snorted.

"Oh, you will!"

"Fine." Emma said, feeling slightly appalled by the idea. "No sex."

"No sex." Regina repeated.

Emma opened her mouth to say something, but she closed it shut as her phone started ringing. Regina eyed the device that was on the bed, "I'll get it," she said, "You rest."

After the 4th ring, "Hello, Emma Swan's phone."

"Uh, yeah… who's this?" A man asked.

Regina pondered in her thoughts, and settled for a lie. "I'm a nurse, who are you?"

"What!? Why a nurse? Is my daughter in the hospital again?"

Regina's eyes grew wide, and she rushed to give Emma the phone. "It's your father," she exclaimed.

Emma pressed the phone to her ear, "Dad!" She called. "Dad..are you there?" But no answered, the phone was dead.


	16. Chapter 16

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

16

Regina had helped Emma back to her apartment, albeit with bitterness and a stoic face. The brunette still thought Emma would be better off at her villa, rather than all alone in a building she knew none of its adamant safety measures. But the things you do for the people you care about.

She had offered to hire a bodyguard for Emma, but the blonde had declined on so many occasions, the brunette had eventually relented. Regina had turned around, and pretended not to hear; there was no way she wouldn't get Emma every protection she could provide. The young blonde doesn't have to know about it, that a bodyguard had been hired to follow her around.

It'd been 2 weeks later when they were able to meet again, and outside the university grounds. Aside from the casual meetings in the hallway at Uni, and the 15-minute visits from time to time, Regina made to Emma's, and Emma made to Regina's, they'd been mostly giving each other space. Since Emma had missed a lot of classes after her accident, Regina had decided it was best to stay away from her student until things have calmed down. The younger woman had found the distraction quite needed, and she had tried her best to stay calm and collected.

Though, she did love the late night phone calls from Regina, telling her goodnight, and how much she missed her through out her day. Emma, of course, had always answered with the same line, "I don't know what I would do without you, Regina."

During the two weeks, Emma had called up detective Graham Woods, and asked for his help. She had had about enough of waiting around, and being absolutely useless. Her family was in danger, and she had to do something. At least Graham had helped her before, and somehow that had made her trust him. She didn't trust much, but the man had offered his services, and had asked nothing in return.

They met up the day after she called, and Emma brought along her mother's case file. While on the topic of injustice, perhaps Graham would help her with that problem, as well. At least with Regina around, she had hope that things will get better, and with enough persistence and poking around in the right places, they'd finally get a lead.

* * *

_"Hey," The slender man said, sitting down across from Emma at the nearest Starbucks from the police station he worked at._

_"Hey," Emma greeted back, shaking the man's extended hand, "Sorry about taking up your lunch time."_

_He merely shook his head, "I don't mind," He said after a moment, and reached for the files on the table. "Are these all of them?" Graham asked, riffling through the contents._

_"Yeah," Emma said, "Coffee?"_

_He nodded, "Black please."_

_The blonde got up with a tired sigh, and went to order Graham's coffee. It was his lunch break, so she bought him a salmon sandwich, as well. The least she could do, she thought. She can't let the man work with an empty stomach._

_"Here you go," She said, placing a cup of coffee in front of him, and the salmon sandwich. When he looked up at her, she shrugged. "You'll need it. It's a huge case, detective, and I'm really sorry to say this, but it's also a dangerous one."_

_He nodded at her, then busied himself with reading the papers. "Indeed," He said after a few minutes, "And it's quite a stinky one, too. I understand now why you don't want this to be official work."_

_Emma sighed, waiting a few pauses before she spoke. "I'm sorry." She breathed out, "I know you guys trust each other endlessly, and this must be shocking."_

_"It is," He said after a moment of hesitation, his voice calmer than his usual cheery self, "But no matter how you look at it..." He trailed, shaking his head. He didn't want to admit it, but from the pages he read, it seemed corrupt cops were definitely involved, and are possibly still involved right now._

_"I-I'm sorry," Emma said quietly, and busied herself with her coffee._

* * *

"That's the one," Regina pointed to the flashy screen, and clicked on her heel in excitement. "I'll need a copy of that tape, please." She told the manager in charge of the surveillance cameras at the hospital.

The man shook his head, "I can't do that," He said, "I'll lose my job."

Regina took out an envelop, and handed it to the round man, occupying the chair in front of her. She looked at him straight in the eye, "The tape." She said, her voice final, and leaving no room for argument.

The man glanced inside the envelop only once, before he accepted the flash memory from Regina's hands, and copied the files.

"If anyone comes looking for that exact same tape, you turn them away." Regina told him, "Do you understand? It's a matter of life or death, and that includes yours."

"Umm...umm..." He stammered, looking anywhere but at the brunette.

"Someone already did?" Regina's eyes widened.

He stayed silent.

She sighed, reached inside her purse, and took out her wallet. She gave the man two hundred bucks, and asked again, "Tell me who came looking for this tape?"

Snatching the money from Regina, "It was a woman, dark brown hair, slender figure. A bit shorter than you are, a bit younger, and she had this laugh..." He trailed, looking for the right word. He squinted his eyes, and breathed out. "Well, lets just say a laugh that only crazy people have. Like a snake."

Regina nodded at that, already forming a list of suspects in her mind, "Is that all?"

"Well…she was pretty, but somehow her repulsive personality makes her beauty look like a mask. I don't know, she just looked like she's ready to become the next serial killer on the loose." She shivered, remembering the woman.

Regina let out a small gasp. She knew exactly who he meant.

* * *

"We covered that area already," Ruby said, pointing down at the map. They'd been searching for Henry and David for the past 16 days, and the more they looked, the more the felt hopeless, and way in over their heads. But whenever that had happened, Ruby would cheer them up, somehow, and they end up working harder, and looking more thoroughly.

It was a particular abandoned car that had caught August's attention as they searched the streets of Boston. He had seen that rundown car somewhere before, and it was quite hard not to remember. The red civic Honda had jammed black doors, and four different sets of tires. Probably stolen parts, August had thought.

When they had came back home, and were looking at their progress at Ashley's apartment, it was then August remembered.

"Wait," He said, "I think I got something." He shuffled through the pictures they had took, and picked out the ones with that car. "I've seen this car before." He brought the frame closer to his eyes, and pondered in his thoughts.

"What is it?" Ashley asked, walking up to August, "Where have you seen it before?"

Ruby grabbed the other photos of the car off the table, and examined them. "Yeah, you're right. That hideous car does look familiar."

Ashley turned to Ruby, "Where have you seen it before?" She asked.

Ruby shook her head, "I don't remember."

Sean was quiet the whole time, watching as his friends and wife think of the last place they had seen the car. "You can look at the photos from last week," He quietly suggested, and disappeared into the kitchen to grab the bag containing the photos. When he reemerged into the living room, all eyes was on him.

Ashley gathered all the old photos -great sum of 300 or more photos- and set them aside.

"Here we go," Sean said, emptying the bag on the table, and sitting back down. He knew he was the voice of reason sometimes, and they needed someone to have fresh eyes, so he naturally became that someone.

"I can't find that car anywhere," Ruby sighed in frustration, and rubbed at her temples. This was starting to get to her, and out of all Emma's friends, the young brunette was the most impatient of the bunch. "Why can't we get something! Anything!"

"Calm down, Ruby." Ashley said, a little bit more than annoyed. "We'll get something."

"But when!? When it's too late?" Ruby sneered, "You keep saying we'll get something, but it's been two weeks, and we got nothing!"

"You're saying this after just two weeks?" Ashley barked, "Some people go missing for years."

"Wait," August said, "Don't fight."

The two angry women ignored him, and continued with their bickering. Ashley would never admit it, but she, too, was wondering when they'd get a lead. Anything was fine, really, but they hadn't gotten 'anything', too. The one thing they had, was nothing. "If you want to give up, then don't bring us down with you. We're hopeful that we'll get a lead." She flailed her arms in the air, "Eventually." She added after a moment of pause.

Ruby rolled her eyes, "There you go again, acting like you know shit." She said, snorting.

"Wait," August said.

"What the hell does that supposed to mean?" Ashley equipped.

But before Ruby could answer, August stood in the middle, and between the two women, and yelled, "Wait! Fucking wait, I said!" He turned to face the photos, and held one in the air, "Here," He presented the photo to Ruby, and then to Ashley. "That's the same car, isn't it?"

He waited for no answer, and continued, "I remember where I saw it, too. It was when we left the hospital. It was parked a block away." He spread the photos on the table, and pointed at two. "That makes it three places the car was seen. That can't be a coincident."

And it sure was not.

* * *

Emma sat on a bench in the park, and yawned licking at her melted ice cream. She'd done a great job ignoring her problems, and above all, ignoring the fact that her father had disconnected the cell he had phoned her with, and had not tried to call her after his first attempt.

She knew, though. Somehow she knew he wasn't in great danger as she pictured he would be, and now that Graham was looking into her father's whereabouts, she wasn't as worried as she was before. Perhaps because her father had finally snapped out of it, and came back for her. And if there was one thing she absolutely had faith in when it came to her father, it was that he knew how to survive.

She'd done everything in her power, and so it was time to sit back, relax, and take a much needed break. It was such a sunny day outside, with the ridiculous blue sky, and amazing weather. It felt good being outdoors, and in the fresh air. Except she was alone, and Regina was busy, doing God knows what. So now she sat on a bench, at a park she did not know existed, and was wallowing around all day like a baby.

Her phone signaling that she received a text, jarred her back to reality. She reached for the device from her blue leather jacket, and read the text. It was Penny, and she was requesting that Emma babysits Jeramy for the night. She sighed, and typed down her answer:

**Sure, when do you want me over?**

Around 6?

**Alright, I'll be there. :)**

A few minutes passed, and Emma got another text from Penny.

Can you make it 5?

**Five it is, then. Do you want anything else?**

No, thank you.

Emma got up, gave her vanilla ice cream one last lick, and threw the rest away in the pin. She removed her sunglasses for a while, examining the sky. It was still too early for her to go to Regina and Penny's, and she had nothing else to do. She put her glasses back on, and slowly walked back to her car.

Once inside, she got another text message. It was from Penny again:

Emma?

**Yes, Penny?**

What are you doing right now?

Emma closed her eyes, and thought very hard about her answer. What was she doing right now? The correct answer would be; absolutely nothing, but Emma's mind was leaving her no choice but to lie. She had her pride, after all.

**You know, just some chores. And possibly I'll be meeting with a friend in a bit. Why do you ask?**

Oh...Never mind then.

**Wait, what's wrong? Do you need something?**

When no reply came, Emma attempted to call the redhead. And when no answer came, she roared her engine to life, and drove straight to Penny's. There had to be something wrong, or the older woman wouldn't have asked for help.

A few minutes before she made it to Penny's, she got a text message:

Can you come over right now?

**On my way.**

* * *

Emma used her key, and got inside the huge white mansion. It was the seconds time she did so, and that was only because she was worried. Stepping inside, "Penny?" She called as she walked over to the living room.

"Hey," Penny casually greeted. She was lying on the couch, and had a hand under her head, and the other loosely cradling a remote control. Her eyes were closed, and Emma could see the black bags under her eyes.

"Hey," Emma greeted back, "You're not feeling well?"

Penny sighs, "Headache," She says tiredly, and slowly cracks an eye open. "I'm sorry for troubling you, Emma. I called Regina, but she didn't pick up."

"Oh, yeah. She's super busy and stuff." The blonde rolled her eyes slightly, and walked over to the kitchen. She filled a glass of water, and brought it back to Penny. From inside her blue jacket's pocket, she provided some aspirin for the redhead. "Here," She said, and handed over the glass and small pill.

Penny smiled up at Emma, and accepted the glass and medicine. She ran her fingers through her hair, and unclasped the macaroni pin Jeramy had made for her earlier in the day. "Thank you," She tells the younger woman, "For this, and for helping out with Jeramy. He absolutely adores you by the way. He won't shut up about your car, and how you were some secret hero who will save us all one day."

Emma smiled, "He said that? That little nugget. I'm actually happy that I'll be spending time with the little buddy. He's almost as old as Henry, and they're so engaged at that aged."

Penny's smile widens, "Especially my son. He likes people much more than he should, and he's trusty, too. Regina always scolded him for accepting food from strangers."

The blonde chuckled, "I can actually imagine her going all hulk on people."

"Exactly!" Penny said, smiling broadly her dimples are showing. "But Regina's kindhearted, and insanely generous, actually." She added quietly, walking over to exit the living room. "I'm going to take a bath, and battle this headache with a some warm water. You think you can keep an eye on Jeramy? Later I'm going out to meet with a business partner."

Emma smiled, "Of course. That's why I'm here. Don't worry..."

Emma hesitated for a split of a moment when she spoke, but it didn't go unnoticed by Penny. The redhead realized how much the younger woman was suffering, and she recognized the vulnerability of having no family around. She, too had parted with both her parents, at a young age, to illness. But Emma still had her father, and Henry. There was still hope.

"Oh, I'm not worried." Penny says, smiling softly. Suddenly she felt like showing the blonde how not worried she was, and reached for Emma. She stood in front of her, cupping Emma's cheeks, and she placed a soft kiss against the younger woman's forehead. She pulled back after a moment, and chuckled at Emma's flushed face.

Penny stared at Emma for a beat or two, then tucked away a blond lock with Jeramy's macaroni pin. "Here, you can have this one." She told her, and then wrapped her arms around the blonde. "I trust you, Emma." She said, her voice low and calming. Much like a mother's. "Do you trust me?"

Emma nodded, "Yes." She whispered, finding the other woman's warmth overwhelming. "I do."

"Good," Penny said, locking eyes with Emma. "Then you'll believe me when I tell you that you're going to find Henry, and you're going to find your dad. There's no question about that. It might take some time, and I'm praying that it won't, but you'll wake up one day, and you'll find them right where you want them to be. Next to you. Regina will be there, too."

The blonde stayed quiet, eyes watering as the redhead continued.

"Maybe one day, you can even live together in this house, or maybe a house of your own, and you two will raise Henry. Together. And I know that Regina might seem like she hates children," She chuckled at that, "But she loves Jeramy, and I know she'll love Henry, too. Plus, you're great with kids-"

"-it's because I'm one, too." Emma interjects, chuckling as she heard Penny laugh, and utter a word of agreement.

After a beat, Penny added, "Your father would be there, as well, and maybe you guys will give him little grandsons and granddaughters. I can definitely say that you two fit into that image perfectly."

"And trust me, one day, all of this will be just a faint memory that made you stronger, and wiser. It will just a step in your life, that you've already managed to overcome. And then there will come another day, when you'll forget all about it, and you'll only see what really matters in life."

She wiped away Emma's tears with her thumb, "Family."

"Friends."

"And love." She smiled at the blonde, and rubbed her shoulders in a soothing manner. "And don't forget, Emma." She paused, and inhaled deeply, "Humans are fighters. The only reason why we still exist, actually, is because we fight and survive."

She cupped Emma's cheeks, and lowered her voice, "So if it tries to kill you, dear, sweet Emma, you grab it by the neck, and you choke it to death.

Emma nodded, her tears quietly rolling down her cheeks as she tried to regain her momentum. She needed this. A mother figure, an older sister, a guardian angel. This kind of warmth that she thought she'd never receive again; she needed it. And no matter how much she had convinced herself that everything was going to be okay; that her family was just fine, the fact was they were still missing.

* * *

Regina made her way to her house, patting her stiff shoulders. She'd been looking all day for clues and leads to find Emma's family. She found that after two weeks of nothing, today was rather promising. She had managed to get the surveillance guy, she had talked to about 10 days ago, fired, and in his stead, a whimsy guy was hired, whom she easily manipulated with money.

That was definitely a positive, and she couldn't wait to get home and tell Penny all about it. She'd have to call Emma, and tell her goodnight. She wanted to see Emma's reaction, so the information that she had found a lead, would have to wait until tomorrow to be shared.

Unlocking the door, she entered her home with a tired sigh. She took off her heels, and kicked them aside, deciding she'd get to them later. Stretching her arms in the air, she yawned as she walked into the living room.

"That's a voice I never heard before," Emma said in amusement, her eyes still closed as she lied on the couch with a blanket draped over her; Penny's doing.

"Emma!" Regina exclaimed, "You're here..." She said, taking off her coat, and her black blazer followed next.

"Hey," The blonde sheepishly replied, cracking an eye open, and looking up at Regina in a way that said 'You're the only one I want right now.'

Regina seemed to have noticed, because then she suddenly padded over to the blonde, dropped on her knees, and kissed her with force. When she pulled back, Emma had tears in her eyes.

"I missed you," The younger woman whispered against Regina's lips, "I was here all day watching over Jeramy, and I was hoping you'd be home." She admitted shyly.

Regina smiled, pushing on her feet.

Emma groaned at the lost contact, but soon smiled as she felt Regina slide behind her, and spoon her from behind. The blonde turned in Regina's arms, and buried her face in the brunette's chest. She inhaled her scent, and bit on her collarbone. "I missed you," She repeated, "I missed you so much, Regina."

Regina tightened her embrace, "I missed you, too, Emma." She said, and if it was even possible, she pulled the younger woman even closer as she continued speaking, "And guess what? I have good news."

Emma looked up at Regina, her eyes gleaming with hope. "What?"

"I found a lead to where your father might be." Regina blurted out, smiling widely.

"Really!?" Emma exclaimed, and when Regina nodded, the blonde leaned up, and kissed the brunette again.

She pulled back after a few minutes, and nestled down inside the brunette's arms. "You should get some sleep."

Regina nodded, already closing her eyes, and getting comfortable next to Emma's warm body. "Goodnight," She whispered.

"Goodnight," Emma whispered back, "I really don't know what I would do without you." She added, just before sleep took her.

* * *

A/N: I'm super sorry for the long wait. I somehow got caught up with life, and this particular chapter was really stubborn. It just wouldn't get written. Anyway, there will be 4 more chapters, and then it'll all be over. I'm sort of sad, but really happy that it will eventually come together and be a complete fic.

Thank you for reading, reviewing, favorite-ing, and for following.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	17. Chapter 17

I do not own Once Upon A Time. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

17

Regina woke up first, her hands immediately shooting up, reaching to message her stiffened neck and sore muscles. She silently winced at the pain her sleeping-position had stirred, and felt the muscles underneath her fingers relax as she continued to rub there. It was definitely a bad idea for the both of them to sleep on the couch when there was a perfectly good, functional bed just a few meters away.

Next time, Regina thought as she stretched her arms and back, there would definitely be a bed in their future.

Catching a glimpse of Emma's face, Regina smiled and leaned down, placing the softest of kisses on the younger woman's cheek. Pulling back, she spent time admiring a trail of drool that was actively rolling down the blonde's jaw, and dampening the cushion beneath. How adorable, she thought. Slowly and carefully, she wiggled herself out and away from behind Emma's still figure, and stood on her feet, swaying only slightly.

Tiptoeing all the way to Penny's room, she knocked softly once, twice. "Penny?" She whispered, but received no answer. Knitting her brows, she sauntered over to the bathroom door, and knocked.

"Penny?" She called again, "are you in there?"

There was no answer. Regina would have to catch her later with the good news, or if they kept missing each other as they currently kept doing, she would be forced to tell her via phone. Or maybe she could have Emma tell her, and that seemed like the better option.

Sighing heavily, but only with great anticipation to what the day will reveal, the brunette took a shower, dressed, packed her laptop and documents, and left the house, looking forward to the start of a bright new day.

Because today, for sure, Regina would finally bring Emma's family home. A certain woman would definitely know a thing or two, and Regina will damned if she didn't achieve what she set out to do when she left her home.

Her target?

A beautiful woman. Dark brown hair. Slender figure. A tad shorter than Regina. Younger, too. Her laugh sounded like a snake hissing, and she had the potential of being a serial killer.

Regina knew exactly who that woman was. She'd described her in her notepad using the exact same words the surveillance guy had used, and since she knew Gold had some one from the inside, she deduced that one of her students had to be working with her girlfriend's nemesis.

That woman had to be Cora. She fits the description to the word.

* * *

"That's them!" Ruby shrieked at her phone, "I have visual. It's uncle David and Henry. They're walking over to your side, August. There's a man with them, he could be armed, so be careful." She whispered the last part, ducking her head as the bunch walked right past her, and rounded a corner.

"Are you sure?" Ashley sounded through the device. She was with Sean, and he, too, was wondering if they were the real deal, or a false alarm. "You're not seeing things like the last time?" That wasn't called for, but the blonde couldn't help it. They've all been on edge since they've started this whole thing, and out of the four, Ruby and Ashley were like the same pole magnet of different ones; while alike, they will never put their differences aside, and work out their problems.

"No, this is real!" Ruby quickly countered, "I am-"

"-I see them," August cut her in, "it's really David and Henry." It was almost 10 o'clock, and with the sun shining brightly through the thin layer of clouds, August was one hundred percent sure it was them. There was no doubt in the matter.

"What do we do?" Ashley frantically asked, "do we go and talk to them? Or what?"

"Yeah, I'll do that," August said, and wasted no time in hearing a response. He didn't need one. He got out of his car, abandoning his phone there, and walked right up to the pair and child.

"Shit, August!" Ruby shouted in annoyance, but immediately followed suit.

Soon, all four friends were standing around Henry, David, and the mystery man. Ruby glanced around her friends, her eyes saying; _at last, we found him. Emma's gonna be so happy Henry and her dad are fine, but…guys...what the hell do we do now?_

August arched a brow, closed his eyes for a moment, and nodded. _Leave it to me_, he was saying.

So she did.

* * *

Emma woke up with a gasp as a trail of pain traveled from her knee cap all the way to her forehead and lower back. She'd rolled over a moment earlier, thinking Regina was by her side, but instead she'd fallen over and into the hard floor.

"Ouch!" She gasped, rubbing at the source of pain.

Taking a moment to bounce back, "Regina?" She called from where she lied on the floor. "Reg-" She started, but remembered then that the brunette had work to get to, so of course she wouldn't be home at…glancing at the clock perched on the wall, "12:02...Wow, this late?" She said, immediately getting on her feet to start the new day.

It had been weeks since she'd slept this well, and while the weight of the world had been resting on her shoulders, today, for some reason, was different. Regina's good news from the day before, coupled by a good night's sleep, Emma was optimistic.

She moved over to the kitchen sink in long strides, washed her face and later stuffed it with fresh strawberries from the fridge. That would do for breakfast. For now, at least. A glass of water followed next, and then she was all set to leave. Before heading out the door, Emma made a quick list-check; wallet, phone, sunglasses...

"Emma?"

Emma turned around with a startle to find Jeramy standing right behind her, "Buddy!" She exclaimed, her voice rising in volume. "You scared me, sweetie."

"What are you doing here? Did you come to sleep over again?" He asked, walking over her open arms, and sliding his around her torso. He looked up at her, and smiled a toothy smile.

Emma hugged him, and was instantly reminded of Henry. She might have even wished that it was Henry, and not Jeramy she was holding. As selfish as that was, as badly as she felt about it and about the innocent child who showed her nothing but love. If she had any choice in the matter, she would have stopped herself from ever feeling like this, but she couldn't help it. Henry was supposed to be in her arms, and not a stranger's child.

But Jeramy was just a young boy who was clearly lonely. What sin did he commit?

She sighed then, and hugged the boy a little tighter. This time around, it was for Jeramy's sake.

"I'm hungry," He said, rubbing at his tummy, and getting comfortable in her embrace. "My tummy is singing," he said, and giggled at the blonde.

Emma nodded, "sure, baby bear. Lets go out to get some food, alright?"

He stared at Emma, his eyes showcased a heavy weight of an old man rather than a young 3-year-old. Then he moved in to hug her once more, his arms wrapping around her neck, and fingers digging into her skin. "I don't want to do that. Mommy is still sleeping."

* * *

"Mrs Mills," Cora said as indifference colored her features. She stood by the door frame, giving Regina a once-over. "Something I can help you with?"

Regina nodded once, "I'm sure there is," she illuminated sarcasm as she shrugged her shoulders in imitated indifference, but the fact that she was quite unsettled around the younger brunette, did not go unnoticed.

"You live here?" She asked, stepping past the young brunette and into the apartment.

"Answer the question," Regina said after a few moments of silence.

Cora sighed, "I do, but why do you care?"

Regina studied the snake-like woman, and let out a mirthful laugh. "You're working with Gold, aren't you?" She shot back, wasting absolutely no time in chit-chat and whatnot. She was sure of it, and cutting to the chase seemed like the right thing to do at the moment.

She snorted then, glancing around and counting down the doors and windows of the small apartment. If Emma's family was here, she would want to know all, and any available routes that existed if she was to make a quick and clean escape.

Now it was Cora's turn to laugh in amusement, "of course, I am." She said defiantly, and Regina's expression faltered for a split moment, only to be pulled back up the next. Cora, however, had already smelled the hesitation in her professor's voice, and pushed on.

"I'm actually very surprised it took you this long to figure me out. I was practically handing out clues whenever I was around you." Cora stalked towards the immobile brunette, and stared straight at her, "I even told you that I would do anything for Gold. Or," She trailed, inching even closer, "did you, by any chance, think I meant gold as in…money?" She gasped then, feigning shock with a hand on lips, and feet moving backwards slightly.

"You did!" She dropped her head back, and let out another high pitched laugh that shook Regina to the core.

"Honestly, professor, you disappoint me." She locked her eyes with Regina then, and shook her head as she raised her hands in the air, flailing them around. She tutted, "if only you were as smart as that preposterous wife of yours. Now she," chuckling, she shook her head, "She really scares me, unlike you, professor Mills."

"That lunatic of yours; Penny Kim."

Regina steeled her face, and no matter how much she was startled by the other brunette to the point where she was about to launch forward and strangle her to death, instead, she nodded curtly, and immediately raised a hand to collide it with Cora's face.

Regina stood stock-still, and stared at the visibly insane woman who stood before her. Cora laughed after receiving the slap, tossing her head back, and arching her brows; and so Regina slapped her again, but it only encouraged the younger woman to laugh even louder, and continue to mock Regina in a way that spurred the professor on.

The professor, on the other hand, took a step back, then another, and then another. Suddenly, she felt she was standing in the face of a real serial-killer rather than an illusion of one. A lunatic whom she knew not to push around lest she gets stuck in a sticky situation. If this was any other time, however, Regina would have welcomed the challenge with open arms. But now was neither the time, nor the place to engage in a fight with one of her students.

No matter how much she wanted to.

"Oh," Cora said as she stalked towards Regina once more, "you don't know..." She told her, reaching for her professor's cheek.

Regina swatted her hand away, and rolled her eyes. She knew the best way to 'handle' Cora was by playing by her rules, and if she wanted to play by her rules, "Of course I know." Regina said, crossing her arms, and shifting her weight from one to another. She took a sharp breath intake, and let it out slowly, making sure Cora heard both the inhale and the exhale.

_Reel her in. _

"Of course I know...I'm Regina Mills, I know everything. There's nothing that I don't know, and there's no one I don't know."

_Make her think she's superior._

"You, my dear, are both a lunatic and an utter liar. You think you're beneath anyone who's clueless to your ways, which in most cases they are, but you still hope that one day you'd find someone to spar with, who is on the same level."

_A round about compliment, wrapped up in an insult. _

"Or far smarter than I," Cora added in irritation.

Regina ignored her, "but there aren't many around, because they simply don't care. I don't know, they might do, but I certainly don't. I don't even want to know what you did, or said." She took a deep breath as she plastered a wide smirk across her face, "Nothing will ever impress me, and you know why?"

_Spark her interest. _

"Because no matter what you do, or what you say, no one really knows that you are behind it. You're..." She trailed, looking at Cora like she was the most pathetic thing she'd ever seen. "You're just a tool, Cora."

"You simply don't matter."

_And a bait to seal the deal. _

That was all it took. Regina watched as a wave of rage loomed across the young brunette's face, and travelled all the way to her veins. She grinned then, continuing to watch as Cora laughed as loud as humanly possible, jutting out her chin in the air, and Regina knew then that she had won; and that the young brunette would tell her everything she knows now.

"You think you know everything, professor?" She stepped closer then, and any signs of amusement escaped her features as a child who'd just gotten his toy snatched away. "You think you're smarter than me?" A hand came to play with Regina's hair, and Regina let her.

"You, dear Regina," Cora started again, abandoning her pretense of respect, "have absolutely no idea what that wife of yours is doing behind your back." She laughed then, "she played you like a pianist plays the piano."

Regina didn't say anything, but Cora must've noticed, "oh, you don't believe me? Well then why don't you ask yourself this; is it really a 'coincident that you own 31 percent of Gold's company, and Penny Kim with her 20 percent, owns just the right amount to take over the whole company?"

"She got those stocks from her divorce," Regina stated in feigned indifference.

"She stole those stocks," Cora said as her eyes danced in triumph. "Penny Kim stole those stocks from Gold, and that is why, dear Regina, Gold was after her. Now, he was only after _her_, but in the power move she made when she married you, she signed you up as one of Gold's next targets. She set you up to save herself, Regina dear."

Whatever Regina had expected, she wasn't expecting this. This was just too much lies and just…full-on bullshit. She really didn't want to question her friendship with her wife, but as much as she hated to believe, she found herself wondering how everything would just fall right into place should this nonsense Cora was spitting was true.

"I don't believe you."

"Yes, you do."

"You have no proof."

Cora tutted then as she looked at Regina with something akin to sympathy in her eyes, "do you really not see the strings attached to your shoulders?" Cora purred, "cause I certainly do, my dear."

* * *

Ruby sighed as the man, who had introduced himself as Jones, walked out of the motel room to give them some privacy. He was surprisingly well behaved despite the signs screaming otherwise, and the brunette was thankful he wasn't armed.

Sinking further in her chair, she glanced around the room, and then settled her eyes on David. "Oh, boy, so Regina's wife is actually some crazy, powerful chick who's trying to-"

"-hey, now," August reprimanded, "we don't know what he said was the truth."

"It sure sounds like the truth," Ashley said. "And I know," she added quickly, "she does not look like the type to lie and deceive, but we don't know her that well. All I'm saying is that…well, she might be behind all of this."

"Do you think it's true?" August addressed David, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, soothing down a very high-fevered Henry.

"I don't know," David said after a moment of silence. "All I know is that I was trapped, and that man came to me at the…" He trailed, unable to think back on the time he'd been at the nursery home. He'd been so out of it, and it hurt to just think back on those days.

"I was trapped inside my own body, "he repeated, "and Jones came to me. Said someone with mutual goals had sent him, and that I wasn't safe where I was. At first I didn't respond…I just couldn't. I was screaming inside my head to make the words come out, but still…not a single word."

He looked up then, and nodded at the bunch, "but when he said that Emma, my baby, was in danger. Well, I guess that was one giant button that he pushed cause one moment I'm sitting on the bed, staring at a fucking wall, and the next I'm up, gripping him from his shoulder, and yelling at him not to hurt my daughter."

"So I suppose Jones had already earned my trust that he would keep me, and Henry safe. He said Emma would be safe, as well, and I believe him on that. I don't know who Penny really is, but I promise you this," he said, walking closer to the young bunch, and standing in the middle.

"If this Penny, or anyone for that matter, hurts my Emma, I will not hesitate to put a bullet through their heads."

* * *

"Penny?" Emma called, knocking on the redhead's bedroom door. "Are you awake?" She grabbed the door handle, and twisted. It was locked.

She felt Jeramy tug at her sleeve, "mommy's not in there," he told her, and with his tiny fingers, he dragged her to the bathroom door. "Here," He said, tapping on the wooden frame.

Emma nodded, already her knuckles making contact with the door. "Penny?" She called again, but, again, received no answer. Knitting her brows together, she turned to face the little boy, "are you sure she's in there?"

Jeramy nodded.

Emma immediately turned to face the bathroom door, and knocked once more, albeit with much needed force this time around. "Penny!" She called, "are you in there!?"

"Penny!" She was panicking now, and clearly Jeramy was, too. He shrieked, silent tears rolling down his cheeks. He was unusually quiet, and a closer look at his shaky hands, told the blonde that he was too scared to make any sound.

Emma gulped, crouching down next to Jeramy, "Hey buddy," She said in a soothing voice, seeing the alarm swim in the young boy's eyes. "Hey, it's alright. It's gonna be fine." She hugged him then, and when she pulled back, Jeramy had new tears in his eyes. So she hugged him again, and with one motion, she straightened up standing, pulling Jeramy along.

After a moment, she set him down again gently, "why don't you go wait in your room, sweetie." She told him, "and I'll come get you when I wake mommy up, alright?"

He stared at her for a long while, his lower lip jutting out in protest. Emma could see the hesitation in his trembling hands, and her own was itching to pull him to her and reassure him, but then he nodded in submission.

"Okay," He murmured, and sprinted off to his room.

Long strides, and a loud grunt got the blonde looking through the house for any type of tools to unlock the door. Rushing back to the bathroom door, she crouched down with a few objects in hand, and spent the next couple of minutes working on the lock.

"Damn it!" She grunted, biting on her lower lip.

"Come on. Come on, come on!"

With a click, the door popped right open, revealing a blinding light from behind it. Emma breathed out a sigh of relief as she rubbed her palms against her jeans.

"Penny..." She hesitatingly pushed the door open, and with one last glance behind her to make sure Jeramy wasn't anywhere in sight, she slid inside.

Emma stood still for a brief moment as shock overtook her, but then with a back stiff as a cardboard that bended at the middle, she dropped to her knees, cradling Penny's wrist in her hands, frantically searching for a pulse.

The redhead was sprawled across the tub with her clothes completely drenched in water. Her once vibrant face, was now pale as sickness itself, and her skin was cold as ice, if not even colder. A trail of blood was running down her nose, and she looked every bit of a corpse, but Emma wouldn't give up.

Breaking from her trance, Emma ran back out, and in a moment of hesitation to call Regina or not, she dialed 911, and decided against informing the brunette. Saving Penny's life was her priority now. Regina would eventually find out.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the delay. My friend told me before that writing the ending is the most difficult task when writing a story. I guess she's right...I mean I struggled so much with this chapter, and I guess I'm gonna struggle with the last 3 chapters as well. :(

Anyway, thank you for reading, following, reviewing, and favorite-ing.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	18. Chapter 18

I do not own Once. All characters belong to their respectful owner.

* * *

Professor

18

There's a certain aura one would find themselves engrossed with when entering a hospital. One that would make everyone inside the small building-of-death turn into mere shadows; ghosts of the past, who are quite physically there, yet at the same time, not exactly.

True, there are people standing over you. There are doctors, and nurses, and passersby. There are adorable balloons in the shape of animals, many types of flowers and crimson roses, remains of confetti and the few lingering echoes of laughter and heartbreaking cries. There are all kinds of things, and other things, and people.

But the reality remains that you're still alone. Family become strangers, and silent cries become the only means of communication for many of the patients. Unless physically taking over another's life; one can never truly relate, or begin to understand the magnitude of another's pain.

Right now, she's alone. Penny is utterly alone. It's bitter and it's unfair, but it's the truth.

As the oxygen mask stirs with life, she wonders if her plan to reveal everything succeeded, but the fact that she's still alive, makes her think otherwise. You see, she had this all jotted down; all figured out, but in the past year now, something unexpected, in the shape of Emma Swan, keeps happening.

She sighs, lifting her right hand to tamper with the machine lying next to her. If she knew any better, by now Regina would have found out everything, and while Penny did plan for the brunette to put two and two together, she'd also planned to be 10 feet underground by the time the truth came to light.

Shit, she internally curses. Emma Swan is a nice girl, but damn it if she isn't a pain in the ass. She didn't want to do this. She didn't want to explain herself to Regina, or anyone for that matter. She was already a dead woman walking, so why should she? Why must she?

A nurse walks in, and Penny's hand immediately drops to her side. Another failed attempt at suicide, she sighs in irritation as she keeps pretending to be asleep. The nurse checks the machines, readjusts the IV drip and leaves after a few minutes.

Penny waits for the sound that tells her the door is closed, then finally opens her eyes. Slowly at first, but then they fly open when she notices blond curls, and an expression that she'd never seen before on the younger woman.

She snorts then, "you," she sneers at Emma.

"Me," Emma says, holding the expression on her face.

"What are you doing here?" Penny says, already forming an idea, but finding if she were in Emma's shoes, she would not be standing where the blonde is standing; but rather in a jail cell with the charge of first degree murder.

"You know why I'm here, Penny." Emma grits out, walking to the red-head's bed, and sitting on the edge. "Before you say anything, I want you to know that Jeramy is staying with me while...while Regina deals with all of this."

"Are you waiting for a 'thank you' card?" Penny says, holding back her tears. She doesn't like this, but then again, who likes getting caught?

Emma shakes her head, "I'm glad you're not trying to keep up with the charade any longer."

Penny drags her lower body, sitting up against the wall behind her. She glances at the machines next to her, and suppresses the urge to yank all the IVs and needles from her skin. She knows they're pretty much useless at this point. "Water?" She asks, and Emma gets up and fetches her a glass. "Thank you," she softly says, sipping from the glass.

"I..." Emma starts after a few beats of silence, "I just want to know one thing, Penny."

"You want to know why I did it," the redhead supplies with a firm nod.

Emma nods in return, "call me stupid...call me crazy, but no matter what you did...I think you had..have a pretty good reason. I still think you're the same..." She looks down at her hands, remembering the wreck Regina had been in 3 days ago when she'd came home from visiting Cora.

"The same?" Penny asks. "The same what, exactly?"

Emma shakes the image of a weeping Regina from her head, and focuses her eyes on Penny, "the same woman who was a shoulder to lean on...for both me and Regina."

Penny opens her mouth to say something, but Emma doesn't allow it, "No, Penny. The truth, now. Just because I'm not strangeling you right now, doesn't mean that I don't want to. I'm merely giving you the benefit of the doubt. So it's either you start speaking now, or I will walk out of that door, and you will never get your chance to explain yourself to Regina, or to Jeramy for that matter."

Penny snorts, "I don't have the luxury of time, honey. Jeramy's three, but by the time he's old enough, I'll be long gone."

"That's exactly my point," Emma says, "otherwise he'll grow up thinking his mother was a heartless person."

Silence looms between them, Emma waiting for the redhead to relent, and Penny thinking over the possibilities in her head. This really was the worst case scenario possible. Why couldn't things have gone as planned.

Penny glances up then, remembering that it had been all Emma's fault. She had showed up at the worst time, and had ruined everything. Then her mind wanders to her son; Jeramy. If it hadn't been for Jeramy, she wouldn't have been in this position, either.

No, it was definitely not her son's fault, she shakes her head empty of such thoughts. If it's anyone's fault, it would be Gold's, and it would be hers.

"I didn't mean for things to go this far," Penny starts, "but things got out of hand." She looks up, and in a moment of vulnerability, she smiles softly at the blonde. "I blamed you, Emma. I still do."

"Aren't you gonna ask me why?"

I'm sure you'll tell me," Emma says.

"Heh," Penny says, unconsciously tearing up. "I suppose I will." She looks up at Emma, and gestures to the end of the bed so Emma could sit down again. Emma glances at the bed, and wonders if she should just stay standing, it is definitely easier to run away should things get heavier. But then again, the look on Penny's face says she wouldn't feel like running away.

Penny waits until Emma is sitting, "I don't want Jeramy to know about this."

Emma nods reluctantly.

Penny huffs, "when I married my ex-husband, I was a few years younger than you are now. And because we have an age gap of almost 20 years, with time, things got a bit...tough."

"What's worse is that I couldn't give him any children. Or more precisely, he couldn't give me any. So he had his doubts, and he had his insecurities. And he was sure that I wasn't in love with him anymore."

"But you were," Emma states, watching as the older woman wipes away her tears. "And Jeramy?"

"...Jeramy's father is Gold's son." Penny says, choking up on her own words, and coughing slightly at the salty taste. "He..Howard, he drugged me one day, and then he...he raped me." She looks away, remembering the worst night of her life, but also the night that gave her Jeramy.

Emma's eyes widen, "God, Penny. Why didn't you go to the police?"

The older woman suddenly laughs, looking up at Emma like she had 2 heads.

"You did," the blonde then says, realizing how she, herself, had gone to the police to help her with her mom's murder case, but they'd always managed to come back empty handed. Gold definitely is more powerful than she had thought.

"They said they couldn't prove that I was raped, and sent me on my way. But I had to prove that...that it wasn't consensual, my husband had to know or he would think I cheated on him."

"And he did," Penny says after a pause, "he thought I cheated on him, no matter how many times I assured him that I didn't. That I was raped, that I was ...violated!"

Emma wipes at her eyes, and stands up to ease down the knot in her stomach. She nods at Penny, and smiles sadly at her, encouraging her to continue.

"...then I went to Gold. Told him what his son did."

"He called you a liar, too?"

Penny shakes her head, "worse...he knew his son had done it, and since I don't have any proof, he rubbed it in my face."

"After that, I tried to get divorced, my husband...my ex-husband was being an ass, and he didn't want me to leave him. He said he'd hold on to me until the day he died, and that by the time he did, I would be too old to start over. And that's when it happened."

"That's when Regina got me the divorce I wanted," she says after a few moments of silence. "I was so shocked, I'd spent years trying to divorce my husband, but he was rich and he always, always got what he wanted. But then Regina came crashing into my life, and she saved me, and for almost a year, I was really happy. I had my son, and I had Regina. But then this..." She gestures to the peeping machines that are taunting her with every peep.

"You found out you were ill..." Emma says, "terminally ill..."

"Naturally, I felt bitter. Who wouldn't!? The ex-husband I spent half my life pleasing, the man who raped me, and the man who let his son get away with rape, they were all gonna outlive me. They all will outlive me...and I became vindictive. I wanted to make them suffer."

"I stole from Gold, and I set Howard up for embezzlement and for fraud. I didn't do much, really, he was already stealing and running faux businesses all over the world. I just made the police...or the FBI take a closer look."

"As for Regina, I married her for insurance."

"For your illness," Emma says.

"No, not kind of insurance. But because if I died, then Regina-"

"-Regina would be his next target," Emma says, suddenly remembering why she'd been angry with the redhead.

"No," Penny says, "that honestly wasn't why. Or at least it wasn't the main reason."

"Then why? Why would you put her in danger!?"

"I didn't mean to," Penny says, and Emma could practically feel the desperation in the older woman's voice; very much so that she could reach out and hold it with her fingers.

"Then why, Penny? Why didn't you just tell her the truth?"

"You might not believe me, but I didn't tell her the truth for her own good. When the call her in to be a witness, she can honestly say that she didn't know shit!"

"You still didn't answer my question," Emma reminds, crossing her arms, but walking back and sitting on the edge of the bed once more.

"...I...I needed to know that once I die, Howard won't take away Jeramy. I don't want him to grow up around Gold, or any of his family. Regina..." She breathes out her wife's name like a person would utter their lover's name.

"God, are you in love with her? With Regina?"

"No," Penny says with a smile, "sometimes I wish that I was, but no I'm not. But I do love her, and I even...look up to her. She's strong, smart, and I know, I know that she will be a wonderful mother to Jeramy."

"...And what about Cora?" Emma asks, "what about Jones? My father and Henry?"

"From one of my sources, I learned that Gold thought you were working with us...with me, so he was gonna use your family to have you drop the murder charges."

"So, what? You kidnapped them?"

"I didn't."

"Yes, you did."

"No, I didn't."

"Okay, maybe you didn't, but you had someone else do your dirty work for you."

Penny shakes her head, sighing heavily, "I didn't kidnap them, Emma, and I sure as hell didn't hire anyone to kidnap them. I merely sent someone...Jones to have a chat with your father, and then he..your father made the right decision and listened to my warnings. As for your car accident...I'm sorry for that, I really didn't know anything about it and so I couldn't stop it from happening..."

"You're not God, Penny. Get off your high horse!"

"I know I'm not some God," Penny says.

"Then why don't you stop acting like one, huh? Because sounds to me like your planning and scheming and in the process of this utter selfishness, you forgot how many people you're affecting."

"Look," Emma starts again, "I know you went through hell in your life, but this is not how you handle it...you shouldn't have-"

"-I shouldn't have what!? I shouldn't have protected my child? I shouldn't have given Gold and his Son the middle finger when they were kicking me to the ground, because that's all I did. That's all I did to them, Emma!"

"Yes, Penny. That's all you did, but you did so much worse to Regina. You did so much worse to me, and even to your own son!"

* * *

"You sure she's not in your way, Regina?" David says as he sips from his coffee mug, "I can take Emma and Henry to a hotel, or something."

Regina shakes her head, "no, please stay. I don't want my girlf...well, I don't want Emma to be away from me, and it's an honor to have her family be guests in my house. Really." She glances at the clock, and realizes Emma would be home soon, and she would have to ask her if Penny woke up yet or not. It'd been 3 days since she'd came home to an empty house, and a a betrayal knife stuck in her back.

"Alright then," David says, giving her a small smile. "She'll be home soon," he suddenly adds, noticing Regina's fidgeting hands. "And I think tonight she will sleep over, even."

"Yes, I think she will." Regina says, "I will cook something, she'll be hungry, and Henry will be, too, when he wakes up."

"Don't worry about it," he tells her, "I think we can continue to eat out or have something delivered."

Regina gives him a small smile, then closes the refrigerator door she suddenly realizes she'd been holding open. "I suppose," she says, still feeling awkward at speaking with the man. He is, after all, her girlfriend's father.

"Do you...do you want to go to Emma's and see how Jeramy's doing?"

Regina cringes at that, and wonders for how long she'd be unable to see the young boy. It isn't his fault his mother is a lying, deceiving, conniving bbb...

"I don't think so," Regina says. "Maybe tomorrow?" Or next week, or in a few months, Regina doesn't know.

"Okay," David reassures, backing off completely. "So," he says after a few minutes of silence, "you never told me how you guys met?"

"What?"

"You and Emma."

"Oh," Regina says, thinking back to Emma and her prostitute days; or day, to be precise. Definitely a bad move to tell David the truth, but after what her best friend had did, she finds the mere idea of lying to be repulsive.

"I think I'm ready. Lets go see Jeramy," she says instead, walking a beeline to her bedroom. "I'll be ready in a few, then I'll wake up Henry and we can go." She manages to stumble out before she disappears into her room upstairs.

David shrugs it off, then finishes the rest of his coffee. He knows something's up, but because he had been shocked to find out his little girl had been dating her professor, a woman nonetheless, he simply lets it go. It's true what they say that ignorance is bliss; sometimes it is better to be in the dark.

* * *

She stands next to Emma's door, not really wanting to let David know that she has a key. It's quite stupid, but she finds herself wondering if he would mind. Maybe he doesn't trust her yet, Regina thinks, and what if he asks for Emma's key back.

All that time thinking, David knocks on the door; a few beats, then a half naked Ruby emerges from behind it. "Come in," she says hurriedly, sprinting back inside to wipe the rest of Jeramy's lunch off the floor. Her tank top in hand, clad in her bra and jeans, she bends down and begins scrubbing at the stain decorating Emma's carpet. "Sorry about the mess, but Jer here hated his lunch."

Regina, and in a moment of utter forgetfulness, rushes to the young boy and wraps her arms around him. "Hey, honey. Did the nice lady give you strawberries?"

"Shit," Ruby says, "is he allergic?"

David gives her a look, and covers Henry's ears. "Rubes…" he reprimands, "not with children around."

Regina soothes down Jeramy's back, picking him up and off the couch. She glances back at David, "I'll be right back, can you check if Emma has any allergy medicine." She walks a few steps towards but turns around, "preferably not the drowsy type. He doesn't like it very much."

David nods, "the drug cabinet?"

"Check the bathroom," Ruby says, but Regina shake her head.

"Emma likes to keep pills and such in her bed room. Left nightstand, bottom drawer." With that, she takes her wife's son to the bathroom, and gives him a warm bath.

David finds the medicine, then excuses himself to buy some groceries. He had planned to order in like they said they would, but with Jeramy sick, he realizes they can't just eat pizza or Chinese take-out when he's sitting there feeling groggy.

Ruby, albeit half-assed, finishes cleaning, and waits for Regina to come back so she could take a bath herself. Henry moves to sit next to her, wrapping his tiny arms around the petite woman. "Ruby," he says, "where's …Emma?"

Ruby glances down, "sweetie," she says, "why are you calling your mom 'Emma'? She's your mom, you should call her 'mommy' like you used to."

"But…dad said she's my sister."

Ruby sighs, "Emma's your mom." She insists, not really knowing what to tell him. He's right that Emma's his sister, but what can she tell him? He's 4, and a little too young to understand how the world works.

He buries his face against Ruby's midsection, "was daddy lying, then?" He asks, and looks up to watch Regina walking back into the living room. He focuses his gaze on Ruby once more, "is daddy lying?" Henry repeats his question.

Ruby sighs again, "umm," she says, "yeah, he is. Daddy lied to you. Emma is your mom."

Regina cringes from where she stands next to the refrigerator, filling a glass of water.

"Why would he lie to me?" He asks.

"I don't know, Henry. Maybe he was scared."

"Of what?"

"I'm not sure," Ruby shrugs, "maybe he doesn't want you to love mommy more?"

Regina's shoulders slump, and she silently shakes her head. She doesn't want to interfere, but it seems to her that Ruby is digging herself deeper and deeper into a hole, when the simple truth would have been enough. With sudden realization, Regina's mind wander to Jeramy's question to why he was staying with Emma, and not her and his mom. "But why?" He'd asked her, and she'd simply offered him an obnoxious glare in return.

"But I love both mommy and daddy," he says, looking up at Ruby from under his lashes. "Is that why mommy and daddy can't be together?"

Regina closes her eyes, bracing herself for the most awkward answer there is to come. She's sure the younger brunette would find another lie to cover up the one before it.

"Eww!" Ruby says, and Regina lets out the breath she'd been holding.

"Here," she says, handing Ruby the glass of water and allergy medicine, "have him drink at least three sips. He doesn't like water very much, and always tries to swallow pills with his saliva."

Ruby thinks about being angry at the older woman, but she finds it's better to take the out that's being offered to her. "Kay," she says, and disappears inside Emma's bedroom.

"Hey," she sheepishly says, sitting down next to Henry. "Can I tell you a secret?" She whispers once she has Henry's undivided attention. She doesn't want to tell him lies, but she also doesn't want to tell him the truth about Emma and his real mother. He's far too young, and she and Emma are still not that far into their relationship to actually take the liberty with something as big as this.

The young boy's ears perk up, and he narrows his eyes at Regina, "what kind of secret?" He asks her, inching closer to his mommy's 'friend.'

"Well," she says, making a show to see of the coast is clear. "The kind that only two people know," she whispers, and instantly smiles when the young boy smiles at her.

Henry nods.

"When I was a little girl," Regina says, "about your age, my daddy took me horse ridding. I sat in front of him, and he held on to me as he guided the horse around. We rode for hours," Regina smiles at the memory. Thinking back on it, it definitely wasn't for hours, but to her little mind, it sure felt like hours.

"Were you scared?" Henry asks, eyes wide and lips sucked inside mouth.

Regina nods, "of course. I was supper scared, and my daddy wasn't even riding all that fast."

"What did you dooo?"

"Well, I closed my eyes, and I listened to my daddy's voice. He told me how most scary thing are usually worth it. He said if I ever get scared, then I should close my eyes, and think of something I'm even more scared of."

"But why!?"

Regina chuckles at that, "because when you open your eyes again, you'll know that what you're afraid of, at the moment, is not really the worst thing that could happen." When Henry squints his eyes in confusion, Regina dismisses the idea, "you will understand when you test it out."

"Can I test it out now?" He says, and Regina nods asking him to think of something he was afraid of, to that he nods again.

"Ready?" She says, "now close your eyes. What are you thinking about?"

"Sleeping alone in the dark," he says, blindly reaching out to touch Regina.

"It's okay," she reassures, "I'm right here, Henry. Now I want you to think of something even scarier."

"Hmm," he whines after a few beats, "what if I was sleeping in the dark alone, and there was thunder in the sky…" He opens his eyes then, "I hate thunder even more," he pouts.

Regina just smiles, leaning down to hug his tiny body. _Sleeping in the dark doesn't sound too awful now, does it?_

* * *

Emma comes home to her apartment later than she had anticipated. She debates whether to call Regina and let her know, but she's too shocked at what Penny had told her, she just wants a few minutes to herself to prepare for everything, and maybe a shower to shake off the bounty hunting work she had to do today. She does feel content that she really does want to change her job, and is more than glad that she'd discovered that rather sooner than later.

Once at the door, she hears laughter that could not possibly be coming from just one person. She's also sure there's a man's voice in there, and last time she'd checked, neither Ruby nor Jeramy had a man's deep chuckle. She wonders if perhaps Ruby had invited their friends over, and finds she doesn't want to get involved. Just as she's about to turn to leave, though, Regina opens the door and emerges from behind it. She's wearing jeans, a button down white, silk shirt, and…slippers. Cute, adorable, panda-shaped, baby blue slippers.

"Hey," Emma sheepishly greets, smiling to herself. "You're here…"

"Are you disappointed?" Regina asks, stepping out and closing the door behind her.

"What?" Emma says, "why would you even ask that?" She closes the gap, pulling Regina in for a tight embrace. Regina's hands immediately finding purchase behind Emma's neck.

"I missed you," Regina says, "and I miss us."

"I know," Emma buries her face against Regina's shoulder. She stays there for a few moments, enjoying the peace and the domesticity of the situation. She wonders if she would have ever managed to survive the shit she's been through if Regina hadn't been in her life. She finds the answer is a big fat no. Not only she would have crumbled to the ground, but she would've brought everyone she had loved down with her.

She'd been motherless, and she'd been fatherless. She'd been poor and hungry and vomiting-blood sick, and she'd been humiliated, dismissed and thoroughly ignored, and she'd been driven to the brink of death; got there and shook hand with the angel of death. She'd been jobless, and she'd been homeless, and broken to many pieces.

And she'd been without love for so long that she didn't quite understand that she's head over heels in love with Regina, until they're standing outside her apartment door, with the brunette pressed firmly against her. Yes, she'd known that she felt 'love' towards the brunette, but not that amount that she feel coursing through her veins at the moment. She's almost sure if Regina wasn't there to lean on, Emma would have fallen to the ground, and her wobbly knees turning into mush.

Suddenly, she feels her skin burn up, and her breath catch in her throat. Regina noticing the sudden temperature change, she pulls back slowly, pressing her forehead against Emma's. "What's wrong, honey?" She breathes out, a few centimeters away from Emma's mouth.

They lock eyes, and Emma smiles. But not any smile; but the sort that's beautiful, sincere, and breathtakingly contagious. Regina smiles right back at her, "what are you thinking, my love?"

Emma can't, and doesn't stop the tears from silently falling down her cheeks. When she sees the look of confusion cross Reina's face, she shakes her head in the negative. She wants to convey how she feels, but she can't; she doesn't know how. And for some reason, she can't move, too.

"Kiss me," she whispers against her love's lips, "kiss me, Re-"

Regina doesn't let her finish, and presses her lips fully against Emma's trembling ones. It's salty, and all lips, but it's nothing like they've ever felt like before. Regina pulls back first, and her eyes water at the sight of Emma's in-complete-bliss face. And then she knows. She knows exactly what Emma's feeling, and in a last act of selfishness, she says them first.

"I love you."

Emma is not surprised, she knows Regina's competitive nature would push her to say first. She can also say, that she actually waited for Regina to say it first, so she could savor the moment for as long as she could before saying back, and losing all semblance of sanity.

Regina bites her lower lip, "I love you, Emma." She repeats, wanting to hear it back, but Emma remains quiet, but her smile still in place.

"Emma!" Regina shrieks after a few moments of silence, trying to break free from the younger woman's embrace. "Let go!"

"No," Emma says, snapping out of her haze. "Just to be perfectly clear, Regina." She cups the older woman's face with both her hands, "I am never letting you go. Do you hear me? I. Will. Never..ever let you go."

Regina gasps at the certainty and the affection emanating from her love. She wants nothing more than to wrap Emma up in an embrace, and never let go, but she doesn't want to miss out on hearing those three words uttered back to her, so she waits.

"Okay," she says, agreeing to be with Emma for as long as the brunette holds on to her. If that happens to be until the day they're separated by death, then that's that. "Say it," Regina whispers impatiently.

Emma bites on her lower lip, wanting to tease Regina more, but also her lips are actually quivering from the anticipation, and she can't help the words from busting out of her lips like an explosion, "I love you, Regina." She tells her, finally.

"I am in love with you, Regina," Emma repeats, albeit a bit more loudly.

Regina opens her mouth to say something, but instead she bites on the inside of her cheeks, to stop herself from the embarrassing situation they stumbled upon. Because at the exact time Emma professed her love for her for the second time that night, the door swings open, revealing David, Ruby, Henry, Jeramy, and practically all of Emma's friends inside the tiny apartment, looking at her like she's some big walking, talking teddy bear.

And to say she was embarrassed is a massive understatement.

* * *

A/N: Only 2 more chapter to go. You would forgive me if it took a while to finish, right? I promise I have a very good reason why this is taking so long to finish. You see how can I write, or upload chapters when I don't own a laptop or connection? Dx And trust me when I say that I'm going through hoops to update my stories.

At any rate, please tell me what you think. This chapter pretty much revealed everything. I have no more twists to add. And yeah, super sorry **Stonehearts**. Penny is actually the main villain in this story, that's why Gold never made a full appearance. xD

Can I just say how I totally called that **EVIL PANDA** thingy with Lana Parrilla. xDDDD

**EDIT: Please read bio for more info why this is marked complete **

**-Jay**


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